In the fifth game from the group phase of the 2008/09 Champions League, scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday, the four English teams in competition - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and holders Man. United - will be looking to secure their place in the knockout stage of the tournament.
Arsenal play Dynamo Kiev at the Emirates Stadium, attempting to extend their significant unbeaten home record in Europe to 24 games. The Gunners' last upset in London came at the hands of their neighbours Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the 2003-04 competition, 1-2 (Reyes − Lampard, Bridge).
Their home run reads:
2004-05
Group matches: Rosenborg 5-1; Panathinaikos 1-1; PSV Eindhoven 1-0.
Second round knock-out: Bayern Munich 1-0.
2005-06
Group matches: Ajax Amsterdam 0-0; FC Thun 2-1; Sparta Prague 3-0.
Second round knock-out: Real Madrid 0-0. .
Quarter-finals: Juventus 2-0.
Semi-final: Villarreal 1-0.
2006-07
Qualifying round three: Dinamo Zagreb 2-1.
Group matches: Hamburg 3-1; Porto 2-0; CSKA Moscow 0-0.
Second round knock-out: PSV Eindhoven 1-1.
2007-08
Qualifying round three: Sparta Prague 3-0 .
Group matches: Sevilla 3-0; Steaua Bucharest 2-1; Slavia Prague 7-0.
Second round knock-out: Milan 0-0.
Quarter-final: Liverpool 1-1.
Note: for remaining two matches see underneath.
The five contenders
The situation of the five British contestants reads:
Group A (top)
Chelsea: P 4, W 2, D 1, L 1, Gls 6-3, Pts 7.
Home vs Bordeaux 4-0 (Lampard, Cole, Malouda, Anelka).
Away vs CFR-Cluy 0-0.
Home vs Roma 1-0 (Terry).
Away vs Roma 1-3 (Terry).
Chelsea, who will progress to the knock-out phase if they beat Bordeaux away, last lost by a margin of two goals in season 2003-04 away against Monaco in the semi-finals. The Blues, the only English side to suffer a defeat this season, are also the worst scorers of the quartet with six.
Bordeaux are the fourth different French club to cross swords with Chelsea. In the first leg the Londoners hit the Frenchmen for four.
The other three duels were also in the Champions League: 1999-00 (group match): Marseille 0-1 (away) 1-0 (home); 2003-04 (semi-final): Monaco 1-3 (away) 2-2 (home) 3-5 aggregate; 2004-05 (group match): Paris St Germain 3-0 (away) 0-0 (home).
Group D (2nd)
Liverpool: P 4, W 2, D 2, L 0, Gls 7-4, Pts 8.
Qualifying round three: Standard Liege 0-0 (away), 1-0 (home: Kuyt).
Away vs Marseille 2-1 (Gerrard 2, 1 pen).
Home vs PSV Eindhoven 3-1 (Kuyt, Keane, Gerrard).
Away vs Atletico Madrid 1-1 (Keane).
Home vs Atletico Madrid 1-1 (Gerrard pen).
Liverpool need only a draw from their match against Marseille at Anfield to qualify but the Reds will fight it out to finish top of their group.
At present, Atletico Madrid lead the way by a difference of one goal.
Liverpool's last home defeat came against Marseille last season 0-1, but they won the return leg at the Stade Velodrome 4-0.
The Reds had also met Marseille in 2003-04, losing 2-3 on aggregate (home 1-1, away 1-2) in the fourth round of the Uefa Cup.
Group E (top)
Manchester United: P 4, W 2, D 2, L 0, Gls 7-1, Pts 8.
Home vs Villarreal 0-0.
Away vs Aalborg 3-0 (Rooney, Berbatov 2).
Home vs Celtic 3-0 (Berbatov 2, Rooney).
Away vs Celtic 1-1 (Giggs).
The Red Devils are virtually through to the knock-out stage along with Villarreal, but they will be keen to keep their place at the summit.
United have a goal difference of six − two more than their Spanish rivals, their opponents next Tuesday at the El Madrigal.
Earlier this season, Villarreal dented Manchester United's remarkable European record of 12 home successive wins after the 0-0 draw at Old Traff-ord.
In season 2005-06, the two sides met for the first time in the same competition, where honours were shared after two goalless draws in the group phase.
Celtic: P 4, W 0, D 2, L 2, Gls 1-5, Pts 2.
Home vs Aalborg 0-0.
Away vs Villarreal 0-1.
Away vs Manchester United 0-3.
Home vs Manchester United 1-1 (McDonald).
The Glasgow Bhoys are placed third in their group, just edging Aalborg (both on two points) on goal difference.
Celtic can still earn a UEFA Cup place but they must emerge with a positive result against the Danish side.
Both sides face tough matches in their last encounter − Celtic are away to Villarreal and Aalborg travel to Old Trafford.
Group G (top)
Arsenal: P 4, W 2, D 2, L 0, Gls 10-3, Pts 8.
Qualifying round three: FC Twente 2-0 (away: Gallas, Adebayor), 4-0 (home: Nasri, Gallas, Walcott, Bendtner).
Away vs Dinamo Kiev 1-1 (Gallas).
Home vs FC Porto 4-0 (Van Persie 2, Adebayor 2, 1 pen).
Away vs Fenerbahce 5-2 (Adebayor, Walcott, Daby, Song, Ramsey).
Home vs Fenerbahce 0-0.
The Gunners have a goal difference of seven, the best of the English quartet and also scored most goals, 10. They are also virtually in the knock-out stage of the tournament.
On Tuesday, Dynamo Kiev will play guests at the Emirates Stadium. This is the third time that the two sides are meeting in the Champions League.
In the previous two combats, which had also occurred in the group phase, Arsenal earned only one point from a home 1-1 draw in 1998-99 and five years later they shared the points as the teams won their home tie.