There’s been plenty of epic all-English Champions League encounters over the years – some
of which have gone on to have an impact on the Premier League title race.
There’s a sense of déjà vu in the air as Arsenal and Manchester City made serene progress
through the UCL – potentially setting a course to clash in the quarter-finals in April.
And that would be excellent news for Liverpool in their quest to regain the Premier League
crown…
Gunning for Glory
Of all the Round of 16 ties in the 2023/24 Champions League, Manchester City and Arsenal
– alongside Bayern Munich and PSG – have been handed the ‘easiest’ route to the quarter-
finals.
That’s the verdict revealed in the
odds on the Champions League, at least, with both City and
Arsenal offered at red-hot prices to defeat FC Copenhagen and FC Porto respectively.
Outright odds to lift the trophy of 11/5 and 11/2 also reveal their popularity with punters.
Assuming they live up to expectations, they will take their place in the quarter-final draw –
and with just eight balls in the bag, there’s a real chance that Manchester City and Arsenal
could draw one another in the last eight of the competition.
That would see them do battle in consecutive weeks in April, at which point the Premier
League title battle will be reaching its business end. In and around that time, Arsenal already
face challenging EPL dates with Brighton, Aston Villa and Tottenham, while Man City will
also entertain the Villans and travel to Spurs that month.
The Gunners would enter the game as underdogs, but if it’s any consolation Jamie Carragher
believes they are one of the ‘few teams’ that can end City’s defence of
their Champions League title this term.
Ironically, it’s Carragher’s former club – Liverpool – who could benefit the most from
Arsenal and City going to war with one another over 180 minutes (and possibly more if extra
time is required).
You can be sure that Jurgen Klopp will sacrifice their Europa League ambitions if a chance to
lift the Premier League trophy in his final season at Anfield presents itself.
Best of British
Arsenal, City and Liverpool have all been involved in memorable all-English Champions
League ties over the years.
Pep Guardiola will not have fond memories of his side’s shock 0-1 loss to Chelsea in the
2021 final – they were huge favourites with the bookmakers to finally end their UCL drought,
but could not find a way past the Blues’ well-marshalled defence.
Arsenal suffered a very similar fate against their London rivals. They met over two legs in the
quarter-finals back in 2004, with a 1-1 draw in the first game at Stamford Bridge handing the
Gunners a real advantage.
They went 2-1 ahead on aggregate when Jose Antonio Reyes popped up with a first-half goal
at the Emirates Stadium, but a Frank Lampard strike brought the teams level. And then an
unlikely hero emerged: Wayne Bridge, who scored nine career goals in more than 450
appearances, chose that moment to add to his small collection on the biggest stage of them
all.
As for Liverpool, they too have lost to Chelsea
in the Champions League – this time in the
quarter-finals in 2009; a remarkable encounter that ended 7-5 on aggregate to the Blues.
Could Arsenal vs Man City be added to this pantheon in 2024?
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Champions League 2023/2024