Manchester City failed to get past the Champions League group stage in the last two years but this time they have progressed to the knock-out stage for the first time, becoming the first English team to qualify this season.
City are in Group D along with holders Bayern Munich who are also through to the KO stages.
The fans had started to lose hope that City will make headway in the tournament but the Blues’ win on the plastic pitch of CSKA Moscow gave them the confidence needed to progress.
New manager Manuel Pellegrini’s Champions League experience was a major factor behind his appointment as City manager in the summer while the goals of proven scorer Sergio Aguero have been crucial for City.
Pellegrini has vast knowledge in Europe as City became the fourth club the Chilean coach has guided to the KO stages.
In the double over CSKA Moscow, Alvaro Negredo was named man of the match for his hat-trick but Aguero was the one who has turned Pellegrini’s vision into reality.
Aguero has now moved clear of Franny Lee to become the club’s top scorer in Europe with 12 goals.
The situations of the five British teams in the Champions League read:
Manchester City (Group D): P4, W3, D0, L1, Pts 9.
Away vs Viktoria Plzen 3-0 (Dzeko, Toure, Aguero).
Home vs Bayern Munich 1-3 (Negredo).
Away vs CSKA Moscow 2-1 (Aguero 2).
Home vs CSKA Moscow 5-2 (Aguero 2, Negredo 3).
The Citizens are second, three points behind Bayern who have won all their four matches.
On Tuesday, Manchester City take on Viktoria Plzen at the Etihad Stadium, having defeated the Czech side 3-0 away.
Manchester United (Group A): P4, W2, D2, L0, Pts 8.
Home vs Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 (Rooney 2, Van Persie, Valencia).
Away vs Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 (Welbeck).
Home vs Real Sociedad 1-0 (Martinez og).
Away vs Real Sociedad 0-0.
Manchester United are the only English side undefeated in this phase of the competition.
Next week, United travel to Leverkusen who are coached by former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia.
Man. United top the group with eight points, one more than Bayer Leverkusen.
Chelsea (Group E): P4, W3, D0, L1, Pts 9.
Home vs Basel 1-2 (Oscar).
Away vs Steaua Bucharest 4-0 (Ramirez 2, Georgierski og, Lampard).
Away vs Schalke 3-0 (Torres 2, Hazard).
Home vs Schalke 3-0 (Eto’o 2, Ba).
Chelsea head the group but still need three points from the remaining two matches to seal a place in the KO stage.
On Tuesday, Chelsea will have the chance to avenge their defeat to Basel in their opening group match. Last season, Chelsea beat Basel, home (3-1) and away (2-1), in the semi-finals of the Europa League. The Blues went on to win the trophy.
Arsenal (Group F): P4, W3, D0, L1, Pts 9.
Away vs Marseille 2-1 (Walcott, Ramsey).
Home vs Napoli 2-0 (Ozil, Giroud).
Home vs Borussia Dortmund1-2 (Giroud).
Away vs Borussia Dortmund1-0 (Ramsey).
After losing at home to Borussia Dortmund, the Gunners shocked European football as they turned the tables on the crack German side to go top of their group on better goal difference from Napoli.
The Londoners became the first English side to win in Dortmund in the Champions League as the German team were in search of their eighth successive home win in the competition.
Nex week, Arsenal host France’s Marseille at the Emirates.
Celtic (Group H): P4, W1, D0, L3, Pts 3.
Away vs Milan 0-2.
Home vs Barcelona 0-1.
Home vs Ajax 2-1 (Forrest pen, Kayal).
Away vs Ajax 0-1.
Poor Celtic are rock-bottom in their group.
Next week, they meet Italy’s Milan at Parkhead before travel-ling to the Nou Camp in December to play Barcelona.