Premier League teams shine in the new Champions League format, with Liverpool leading the pack and Arsenal regaining momentum while Manchester City and Aston Villa face challenges ahead.
With the results of match day 5 of the Champions League concluded, the new Champions League format has proven to be an exciting spectacle full of surprises and drama. Liverpool lead the standings with 15 points after a commanding victory over defending Champions Real Madrid. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal returned to form with a convincing away win over Portuguese Champions, Sporting CP while Man City were held to a 3-3 draw after letting a three goal lead slip. Thiago Motta’s Juventus managed to secure a goalless draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Though the League table does not tell the whole story, it’s looking bright for English teams in the Champions League with all four representatives of the Premier League in the top qualifying 24. Liverpool and Arsenal are in the top eight spots for automatic qualification, while Aston Villa and Manchester City are positioned for the playoff rounds. Arne Slot’s Liverpool have been impressive in the Champions League this season deserved with notable wins over Leverkusen, Real Madrid and AC Milan.
They have a perfect record with five wins from five matches having scored 12 goals while conceding once. Arsenal are in a strong position after a stellar showing in Portugal, currently 7th position and with three winnable fixtures, Mikel Arteta’s men are set for a place in the top eight.
Man City’s wobbling form have spilled over into the Champions League, with Pep’s side at risk of missing out on automated qualification after failing to see out a three goal lead at home to Feyenoord. They’ve been defensively porous with 7 goals conceded from 6.1 xG while lacking the technical quality to control games. With two difficult away fixtures ahead ( Juventus & PSG ) and a tricky home game against Club Brugge, The English Champions will need to be at their best form for a shot at the top eight.
Aston Villa’s three consecutive wins at the start of the Champions League seems like a distant memory after a run of 7 games without a win. They’ve failed to score in their last two Champions League matches but are still in contention for automatic qualification being just one point behind 5th place Atalanta.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool are looking like the real deal and have shown they possess the tactical flexibility, squad depth and character to go far in this season’s Champions League. They can hurt opposition teams in multiple ways while denying even elite teams quality space for a shot with Real Madrid limited to only 0.34 non penalty xG while Leverkusen managed only 0.49 xG from open play. It’s clear that if Liverpool can keep all their key players fit, they have what it takes to win this season’s competition.
Arsenal appear revitalized following the return of key players, but doubts linger over the reliability of their squad depth. Mikel Arteta will have to find a solution to Arsenal’s sharp drop in quality during the absence of key players. Manchester City and Villa have yet to show consistency but possess the potential to progress from the Round of 16 to the Quarters. Rodri’s long-term injury has diminished City’s prospects of winning this year’s Champions League. As it stands, The Premier League’s best representatives for a silverware in Europe this season could be championed by Liverpool and Arsenal.
