Manchester United and Ajax are no strangers to European glory and one of them will add to their trophy collection when they meet in a mouth-watering Europa League final in Stockholm on May 24.

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Both sides edged through thrilling semi-final second legs, with Jose Mourinho's men overcoming unfancied Celta Vigo as the Dutch giants dug deep to sneak past Lyon.

Now they have one more hurdle to clear to get their hands on more European silverware and it is United who are fancied to win the competition for the first time after being priced up as the 4/9 favourites to lift the trophy.

The Red Devils are 10/11 to win in 90 minutes while Ajax are 37/20 in the outright betting and 16/5 to triumph without the need for extra time, with odds of 23/10 for at least an extra 30 minutes to be needed to separate these teams.

With a place in the Champions League available to the winners, there is more than just a European trophy at stake and Mourinho has targeted all his efforts on winning the competition rather than securing a top-four place in the Premier League.

Getting to the Europa League final is a slog for any team and Mourinho felt his injury-hit squad could not realistically compete on both fronts.

In terms of their route to the final, United finished second in their Europa League group to Fenerbahce after winning in Ukraine against Zorya in the final match but St Etienne in the round of 32 was relatively straightforward.

Rostov, one of the sides that dropped out of the Champions League, were also comfortably overcome, although it took extra-time to overcome Anderlecht at the quarter-final juncture. The semi-finals were not much easier as Celta pushed until the last and could have denied United in the last few seconds of their semi-final.

Ajax had finished top – above Celta – in Group G. Having edged past Legia Warsaw and FC Copenhagen - two sides that had been in the Champions League group stage - Peter Bosz's men beat Schalke 4-3 on aggregate after extra-time to reach the semi-finals.

Ajax sent ripples around European football by thrashing Lyon 4-1 on home turf but had to battle to keep the French side to a 3-1 win in the second leg.

They have not travelled well and United’s status as favourites is partly based on doubts whether the young Dutch side can cope with the occasion at a neutral venue where their fans will be outnumbered.

In their favour is the fact that a serious knee injury has denied Swedish top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic the chance to win the Europa League on home soil.

It has left a large void for United that Marcus Rashford has done well to fill, playing an integral role in both matches against Celta Vigo having fired United through the quarter-final against Anderlecht with a fine, extra-time strike.

Still only 19, the forward's finishing is as impressive as his movement and composure and Rashford is the favourite to score the first goal at 21/5 while he is 7/4 to score at any time and 27/10 to be on target in a United win.

Rashford is one of several key players for United and Ajax are another team built on collective effort. What the Dutch side lack in experience they make up for in talent and youthful exuberance. Kasper Dolberg, Ajax's own 19-year-old front man, has flourished this season and is 7/1 for the first goal while Bertrand Traore, Hakim Ziyech and Amin Younes are other attackers to have impressed.

Davy Klaasen is Ajax's captain while Justin Kluivert - son of Patrick - and Matthijs de Ligt are talented teenagers.

Neither side has achieved their ambitions in the league this season. United won the League Cup but their hopes of a top-four finish would have been vastly increased had they shown a cutting edge during a 25-match unbeaten league run punctuated by draws.

Ajax went into the final weekend with hope of succeeding PSV Eindhoven as champions but leaders Feyenoord held their nerve at home to Heracles, meaning the Amsterdam side finished a point behind them despite a 3-1 win against Willem II.

As well as Ibrahimovic, United will be missing several more star names. The list includes David de Gea but that is for selection reasons, with Mourinho having confirmed Sergio Romero will start in goal barring injury.

The Argentina goalkeeper has played 11 of the 14 Europa League matches this season and will get the nod to start the final.

“No dilemma, no dilemma,” Mourinho said when asked about the selection poser. “They are two fantastic goalkeepers. I never saw in all my career two goalkeepers to be so friendly because it is a position where you always have a little bit of rivalry, especially if you are both the same kind of level.

“We are speaking about the Argentina national goalkeeper and the Spain national goalkeeper. They are friends and they support each other all the time. I never saw a bad face, I always saw them supporting each other.

“I think it is fair that Sergio is going to play the final and David accepts. He accepts that especially because he has already played Europa League matches and if we win the trophy, David wins the trophy because he played two matches against Feyenoord and against Fenerbahce.

“But if everything goes normal and we have no problems, Sergio plays the final.”

Regardless of who is in goal, United are 32/25 to keep a clean sheet and are 21/10 for victory in 90 minutes without conceding.

Marcos Rojo, Ashley Young, Luke Shaw and Tim Fosu-Mensah are on United’s injury list while Eric Bailly is suspended following his moment of madness in the second leg of the semi-final.

So impressive since arriving from Villarreal last summer, the 23-year-old was shown a straight red card for raising his hands during a heated end to the 1-1 draw.

Injuries and suspensions have added to Mourinho’s frustration at a fixture schedule which he has described as “crazy”.

Balancing the desire to win with resting players has been difficult and Mourinho joked it would have been worse was it not for Ander Herrera's sending off in the FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Chelsea.

“The accumulation of the games, I never had that,” Mourinho said. “You know that in all of my career I was never (knocked) out of European competitions in the group phases and in the last 16 I was out only once. So I reached the semi-finals 10 times, I go always until the end of the competitions.

“In the League Cup I normally go far. In the domestic competitions cups, I won in Spain, in Italy, in Portugal so I normally have a lot of matches. But like this I never have, I never have.

“This situation of you play a final and the game that you should play that day is going to be postponed until the last week, for the last week! This is crazy.

“And I repeat the same - thank you Michael Oliver because we were out in the FA Cup because if we go to the FA Cup semi-finals it would be a total disaster. I don't know when we would be playing that game.

“I never, ever have had a situation like this and on top of that the accumulation of big injuries, not small, not the injuries that you say 'okay, hamstring, two weeks'.

“No. It's surgery, boom, boom. It's surgery - one knee, another knee. Another foot. Just big surgeries.

“So fewer players and fewer players and fewer players. It's very difficult, really very difficult. But we are there and we go to the final.”

Mourinho may feel things have been stacking up against United but adopting such a siege mentality is nothing new and the Red Devils are still not short of quality, especially in midfield where the likes of Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini should be able to dominate.

The summer break is now on the horizon but Mourinho will demand one last effort from his players as United seek to win the only major trophy to have eluded them in their success-laden history.

After edging past Celta Vigo, Mourinho said: “In the end, when the game was difficult, when they were better than us and we were in trouble and not playing well, it was that mentality, that desire, that togetherness that made the boys fight until the end.

“The final means an opportunity to win a trophy, to be back in the Champions League and to end the season in the perfect way because it is the last match of the season.”

If they do have to dig deep, United are 9/1 to clinch victory in extra-time and 13/1 to come out on top in a penalty shootout but their fans will hope for a less stressful evening. United are 28/25 to score first and win the match while they are also 13/5 to win by at least two goals.

Real Survive Early Atletico Onslaught (Just)

After a slow start, Real found themselves two goals down after just 20 minutes and neutrals believed that Diego Simeone’s men could follow Barcelona’s example and come back from the dead. Unfortunately for Atletico, Real just about managed to weather the storm and an Isco goal just before the half-time interval ended any chance of a famous comeback.

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Los Blancos cannot afford to take their foot off the gas in the final; Juventus have the talent to punish Zinedine Zidane’s side. As of May 11^th, Real are slight favourites to lift the trophy in Cardiff – with 888sport going 17/20 on the 11-time champions to emerge victorious.

No Pogba, No Problem for Juventus

When Paul Pogba re-joined Manchester United for a world record fee of £89 million last summer, many believed that Juventus would struggle to inspire confidence against the best teams in Europe. However, Massimiliano Allegri has reshaped his side and the Italian giants are now arguably better than they were twelve months ago.

The Pogba money helped to finance a mammoth bid for Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain and the Argentina striker has been phenomenal since moving to Turin. The Juventus forward has bagged 32 goals in 50 appearances this campaign and he will be quietly confident of getting his name on the scoresheet at the Millennium Stadium.

Zidane Blessed With Stupidly Strong Squad

Do Real Madrid have the strongest squad in Europe? Potentially. With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Isco in attacking areas, Real are capable of overpowering their opponents and Juventus will need to be at their brilliant best to keep tabs on all of Madrid’s superstars upfront.

Zidane knows that both Gareth Bale and Pepe, two of their most important players, are set to return in the near future and the Frenchman will have a selection headache on whether to mix things up or stick with the same side that defeated Atletico. Disrupting the balance of the squad too much could be detrimental to their aspirations...

Allegri Knows... Defence Wins Championships

The key to success in sport? A solid defensive unit. In Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini, Juventus have one of the strongest and most reliable backlines in European football. Prior to Kylian Mbappe’s strike on Tuesday night, Juve hadn’t conceded a goal in 689 minutes of Champions League football; an incredible statistic.

The Italian side, on the verge of securing a sixth successive Serie A title, aren’t defensive in their approach but Allegri does have them well drilled. With three centre backs, Juve have plenty of support if Dani Alves and Alex Sandro decide to venture forward. Allegri has a successful formula going on at Juventus Stadium and they will take some stopping.

Potential To Be One Of THE Great Finals

On paper, this has all the makings of a fantastic contest and goals could be on the cards. Had Atletico advanced, we might have been in for a real war of attrition and a stalemate but Real should go all out for the win and, in theory, we may be treated to an open game. An exciting final would certainly go down well with neutral supporters...

Both sides are capable of going for the jugular and it could be a memorable affair, especially if we get an early goal. With a plethora of attacking talent on show, an entertaining contest looks likely and extra time is a definite option. So mark the date down on your calendar now; this is a game you won’t want to miss.

This travel guide looks at five underdog teams (and their stadia) that were drawn from pots 3 and 4 in this season’s UEFA Champions League draw. First up, a short jaunt to north-eastern Slovenia...

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NK Maribor

2017/18 represents a ninth straight season in which NK Maribor are in European competition. It is also the Slovenian club’s third Champions League appearance in four seasons. Maribor have already disposed of Zrinjski Mostar, Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar, and Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the qualifying rounds. Curiously, the Vijoličasti have faced off against English opposition on four occasions in the last seven seasons.

Stadium

With one main stand opposite three interconnected ones, it is sufficiently compact to generate a good atmosphere, and fittingly, Maribor is a relatively small city itself, making the stadium accessible from anywhere in the area. Being next to a river, locals consider it to be an iconic landmark, and it is also the national team’s home stadium.

Travel

Getting to Maribor can be a challenge, but it can be simplified by a well-laid travel plan, with Maribor being accessible from Ljubljana, Graz, and Zagreb. For those that simply want to go there and back without too many stopovers, flying to the Austrian town of Graz is the best option. After arrival, visitors can board a train journey to Maribor, which takes just under two hours.

Attractions

Maribor, the 2012 European capital of culture, is famous for wine production and a number of other landmarks steeped in history. The second-oldest synagogue in Europe is a prominent attraction, as is the Old Vine House (Hiša Stare trte), and the brilliantly-named Judgement Tower (Sodni stolp). The greatest concentration of shops, bars, and restaurants can be found on the waterfront.

APOEL Nicosia

APOEL became notable in Europe back in 2011, after reaching the group stages of the Champions League for the first time in its history. Remarkably, the Cypriot minnows finished top of an extremely tough group, which contained Lyon, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Zenit St Petersburg. APOEL also performed strongly in last season’s Europa League, with the Cypriots again topping the group and getting as far as the round of sixteen.

Stadium

GSP Stadium is shared by APOEL and their rivals Omonia Nicosia. Harking back to the Olympic days of yore, it is open-air and has a capacity of nearly 23,000. A friendly, but passionate atmosphere can be expected on match nights.

Travel

Nicosia airport has lain derelict since 1974, making Larnaca International the destination of choice for Tottenham fans on 26 September. Unless a nine-hour walk is high on the agenda, transportation should be arranged in advance, with the stadium about thirty minutes’ drive away from Larnaca International

Attractions

Nicosia boasts some beautiful architecture and sights to see. The wholesome Mediterranean cuisine available to tourists is an attraction in itself, and there are plenty of eateries to explore. On the way back, visitors can partake in some scuba diving in the coastal town of Larnaca.

Qarabag

This quaint village in Azerbaijan has now hosted European club football for five successive seasons but only this year did Qarabag become the first club from Azerbaijan to qualify for the Champions League group stage. In a group containing Roma, Athletico Madrid, and Chelsea, nobody expects much of Qarabag but the stadium’s distance from the rest of Europe has often drained visiting teams to devastating effect, with FC Copenhagen being the victim of Qarabag’s latest breakthrough.

Stadium

As Karabakh-Agdam is a ruined ghost town, which is never fully ‘safe’ to visit, the country’s leading team plays at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku. An impressive sight, its 31,200-strong capacity makes for a raucous atmosphere on match day, and it once even hosted an Elton John concert.

Travel

For Chelsea’s hardcore contingent, the journey from London to Baku can be surprisingly smooth. Azerbaijan Airways runs a direct service, with flights lasting five to six hours, but an array of multi-stop flights are also available. Getting to the stadium from the airport is relatively easy, and fans can take a shuttle bus (H1, which takes around thirty minutes) or the metro red line.

Attractions

Once in Baku, those who enjoy their museums will be in paradise – as will those who enjoy bathing in crude oil. Such is the oil the country has to spare, oil baths are now a tourist attraction.

Anderlecht

RSC Anderlecht is a regular feature in Europe but the club has not had it all its own way. KAA Gent and Club Brugge have upset the odds in recent seasons but Anderlecht will once more fly the flag for Belgium in Europe’s premier club competition. Undoubtedly, Anderlecht’s finest moment against English opposition came in the 1976 Cup Winners Cup final, with the Paars-wit defeating West Ham United 4-2.

Stadium

Situated in the Belgian capital of Brussels, the Constant Vanden Stock underwent a renovation in 2013, which boosted its capacity to 28,000, with nearly a quarter of that accounting for a ‘safe standing’ section – although this is reduced for European games. However, along with the national team, RSC Anderlecht will move into a new stadium within the next four years. Anderlecht fans have a good reputation at home and abroad.

Travel

Brussels Central can be reached by a Eurostar train from London via Lille and, from there, a visitor can take a metro train ride to the stadium. Zaventem and Charleroi airports are the destinations for travelling fans travelling by plane. Although Zaventem is by far the closest to the hub of the Belgian capital, Charleroi is more frequently served by budget airlines. The drive to Brussels from Charleroi airport may take between 40 and 60 minutes depending on traffic conditions, but shuttles from the airport to the city are frequent. Planning ahead is, however, still crucial.

Attractions

As the Belgian capital, Brussels has the standard array of cafes, bars, museums, and monuments. With Belgians amongst those that most highly respect ‘European’ drinking culture, alcohol can be consumed in a wider range of areas than in the UK. Belgium’s culinary delights are damned to be overshadowed by the cuisine of neighbouring France but the ready availability of street food contributes to the match-day atmosphere. For those who plan to frequent restaurants, and have no relevant dietary restrictions, Belgium’s signature dish of twice-fried chips (frites) and mussels (moules) with spiced aioli is a must-have.

Olympiakos

Already known as the strongest Greek team by far, Olympiakos take their place in the Champions League every year, without fail. Only a second-place finish in 2003/04 prevented what would now be a 21st consecutive year, in which the league title occupied the Karaiskakis Stadium trophy room.

Stadium

After undergoing a rebuild for the 2004 Olympics, the stadium’s capacity increased to just over 33,000. Remarkably, for a stadium in a country synonymous with the Olympic Games, Olympiakos’ ground does not keep the fans at bay by means of a running track. Its English ‘twin’ would most readily be identified as Sunderland’s Stadium of Light. The fans are in fact in surprisingly close proximity to the players, and thus generate a raucous atmosphere on match days.

Travel

Aegean Air is the airline of choice for those that want the simplest flights from the UK to Athens International. The stadium in the nearby port town of Piraeus is a 30-minute drive from the airport and the road also has a toll. An airport express bus (the ‘X95’) is available 24 hours a day but the journey to the stadium will take close to ninety minutes.

Attractions

Athens needs no introduction. One of the great cornerstones of modern civilisation, the attractions would take up an entire travel guide by itself, and those with money to burn can enjoy a couple of days in the capital before venturing towards the home of the immovable Greek champions. In Piraeus, there are some stunning views from the harbour, and two major museums – architectural and maritime – also located nearby. The club shop and museum are also well worth a visit.

In the summer of 2016, Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey retired from top class football after over two decades of rampaging forward play, that took in seven clubs and 62 appearances for his country. Here, the widely respected striker discusses the varying fortunes of three of his former employers starting with Liverpool’s faltering title aspirations and a Brazilian schemer who is only set to make matters worse.

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Liverpool are drifting

When the Reds paid out a then club record £11m for Leicester’s Emile Heskey back in 2000 the move was a bittersweet one for a player born and raised in the Midlands city. With this in mind the 39 year old is worth listening to on the topic of Philippe Coutinho’s proposed big-money move to La Liga knowing as he does the personal dilemma between emotion and ambition.

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“When the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid – and even Liverpool themselves – are linked to players then players seriously think about it. So I’m not surprised that Coutinho is considering it. He is close to some who play there and a number of Brazilians have represented the club over the years so that’s where he’s thinking of plying his trade next. There is always that chance that he might go in January because if they come back with another offer his head will be turned again.”

Until then Jurgen Klopp’s men have bigger concerns namely at the other end of the pitch having already conceded 12 goals from their opening eight games. What does Heskey put this costly and persistent weakness down to?

“It goes without saying that defensively they’re not as sound as they could be. I don’t know if it’s personnel or if it’s not fully understanding the shape of their defending. When you look at the old Arsenal sides they would devote whole training sessions to their defensive shape. Everyone says it is personnel but only time will tell when they get someone else in and if it stays the same.”

If the Merseysiders are vulnerable at the back they are at least compensated by a front three who almost guarantee goals. Salah, Mane and Firmino have torn into bamboozled opponents this term with such relish they have brought to mind another frightening trio from recent years at Anfield. How do they compare? 

“Wow, that is tough. It’s a difficult question because obviously they are so different. If you look at Sturridge, Sterling and Suarez in their prime that was a forward line that was feared by everybody in the league. Everybody wanted to be like that front three. Suarez has gone on to do some phenomenal stuff for Barcelona and I have to say they’re the better ones out of the two. But it’s close.”

Speaking of Daniel Sturridge the prolific frontman has found himself cast to the margins since Klopp’s arrival two years ago with some questioning his ability to fit into the German’s exacting style of play. Does the England international need to look elsewhere to get his career back on track?

“He needs more games and any player would say the same. That’s when you get the best out of yourself and enjoy your football. He needs that right now but Liverpool are obviously not giving it to him so it’s a difficult time for him. With the system footballers are very adaptable so I don’t see why it should be a problem for Sturridge.”

What is unquestionably a problem at present however is Liverpool’s inconsistency that has seen them slip down to eighth in the Premier League. Is the title now beyond them?

“It’s a difficult one because they’re really falling adrift of the leaders and they’re now nine points behind Manchester City. The top four is a must but whether they can do it is another thing.”

This weekend will certainly have a serious bearing on that with Liverpool facing an intimidating trip to the capital to face Spurs. Or at least it would have been intimidating last season.

“Tottenham haven’t really been blowing people away at Wembley have they so it’s a case of Liverpool going there very confident and getting something out of it.”

Foxes need to believe again

Moving away from Anfield the conversation switches to Heskey’s first love and hometown club of Leicester City. Having shocked the footballing world to its core with their 5000-1 title success in 2016 the Foxes have endured a bumpy return back to reality since and currently reside in the bottom three. Does a relegation fight beckon?  

“It has been a tough start for them but it was never going to be easy. You’re in the Premier League at the end of the day so all games are going to be tough. They need to start taking opportunities when they come and when you’re got players like Slimani, Mahrez, and Vardy then Leicester will create chances. After that it’s about believing in themselves and taking them. It was a tough start last season too but they kicked on and I think they’ll do the same again.”

A significant factor in Craig Shakespeare’s side struggling to replicate their incredible impact from two years ago has been the declining fortunes of their talisman Jamie Vardy. Heskey believes this is not down to the striker himself but rather a heightened awareness of his strengths by opponents.

“They’ve cottoned on to how to defend against Vardy but he’s still got a lot to offer. His game isn’t just about running in from behind and he can still get it into his feet, turn and run at teams and just cause all sorts of problems. Which is great.”

If Vardy is somewhat excused the diminishing returns from Riyad Mahrez gets shorter shrift from the big man, especially after the Algerian’s disruptive desire to move on this summer.

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“It’s time that he got the best out of himself because at the end of the day it’s about him isn’t it. Whether he wants a move or not he’s still got to produce and go out there and perform. He’s done that reasonably well but there’s a lot of onus put on his shoulders because of the performances he has put in in previous years.”

From his debut as a raw teenager in the mid-nineties to the start of this century Heskey played a prominent role in a vintage Leicester side that twice won the League Cup under Martin O’Neill. Perhaps it is understandable then that when the amiable striker looks back on that period he finds it hard to pick out one player from a terrific bunch.

“It’s difficult to say who was the best but I’d probably say Muzzy Izzet had the most impact. Coming from Chelsea’s reserves when nobody knew who he was and then becoming one of the best players in our history is phenomenal. I’d say Muzzy for that achievement but we all gave something special.”

Villa are afraid to express themselves

Steve Bruce was evidently a fan of Emile Heskey’s attributes having signed the forward on two different occasions, for Birmingham City then Wigan. Now in situ at Villa Park the veteran coach faces the unenviable task of hauling a sleeping giant back into the top flight and having played for the Villans himself with distinction for three years Heskey is in the perfect position to assess his chances. Firstly, is the admiration reciprocated?

“I think Steve Bruce is great. He’s a wonderful man who knows what he wants. He understands the physicality of the Championship but one thing I would say is that Villa need a bit of time. When I’ve watched them play they don’t look too confident. When you look at when I was playing for them we had Ashley Young, James Milner, Gabby Agbonlahor and John Carew; Gareth Barry and Stiliyan Petrov: these are all confident players who went out and expressed themselves. Now they’re not and it’s going to take a bit of time for the manager to install that.”

Bruce’s efforts are aided considerably by the presence in the dressing room of an England legend in the form of John Terry. Having represented their country together on numerous occasions what does Heskey think the 36 year old can contribute to the promotion battle ahead.

“His experience can help not only the lads who are there now but the young lads who are looking to get into the squad in the future. They will see what it takes to get to that next level. He’s done it and worn all of the jerseys so it’s great. He’s not the same John Terry who won the Champions League but he’s still got a lot to offer and when you get older you might not be as quick and sharp but you’re mentally wiser and know where to be at the right times.”

A defeat away to Wolves last weekend knocked Aston Villa temporarily out of the play-off places and with a trigger-happy owner in charge the pressure is beginning to mount. Does Heskey believe its boom or bust for the Clarets in 2017/18?

“I don’t think so but if they don’t reach the playoffs they’ll probably be looking at that, yeah.”

Cersei as Mourinho..? Check out our "Game of Thrones in the Football world" Infographic

Here we assess the betting odds for each team ahead of the round of 16.

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Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona

Barcelona emerged with the best record from this season's Champions League group stage to strengthen their position as favourites to lift the trophy for the fifth time in 12 years, but the draw for the first knockout round could have been kinder to the Catalan giants.

Barca's two-legged clash with PSG is the pick of the last-16 ties, but Luis Enrique's side still head the outright betting at 7/2 and are just 6/5 to reach the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on June 3.

The fabled strikeforce of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar came to the fore as they comfortably topped Group C, putting seven goals past Celtic at Camp Nou and scoring four times against both Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach on home turf.

However, a 3-1 defeat at Etihad Stadium highlighted how Barca's defence can sometimes be fragile on the road and will give PSG hope of claiming a first-leg lead in Paris.

The big-spending French outfit appeared to be missing talismanic front man Zlatan Ibrahimovic earlier this season and are in the unaccustomed position of being second in Ligue 1 behind Monaco, having taken that title by a record 31 points last term.

PSG's form has improved, with Edinson Cavani stepping up to the plate, but most pundits believe they will be left to rue surrendering top spot in Group A to Arsenal after a shock 2-2 draw against Ludogorets in the final round of fixtures, and Unai Emery's side are 30/1 to secure a maiden European Cup triumph.

Arsenal v Bayern Munich

Arsenal have hardly been rewarded for topping their pool for the first time since the 2011-12 season, though, with the Gunners being drawn out alongside five-time winners Bayern Munich.

Arsene Wenger's side have crashed out at this point for the past six years and are 3/10 to suffer the same feat here.

The Frenchman is possibly hoping for divine intervention to help buck the trend, commenting: “They said that God made the world in seven days and this is the seventh day for us! So we have to get a special day.

“We are all here to change history. We are here to make history, so we have to change what happened before. And make it better.”

Arsenal failed to get past Bayern at this stage in 2013 and 2014 and were eased out to 27/1 to lift the trophy and 9/2 to reach the semis after the pairings were announced.

They will at least have the advantage of playing at home second this time, having given themselves a mountain to climb with 3-1 and 2-0 defeats at Emirates Stadium in those recent encounters.

These familiar foes also met during last season's group stage, with Arsenal prevailing 2-0 in London before being routed 5-1 in the return fixture in Munich.

This term, Bayern could only manage second place behind Atletico Madrid after slipping to a surprise 3-2 defeat to Rostov in Russia, but they did win all three home games by an aggregate score of 10-1.

Carlo Ancelotti's side are 4/1 to repeat their outright success of 2013, although the Gunners will have noted rumours of unrest in the Bayern dressing room, with some veteran Germany internationals reportedly unhappy with the performances of certain foreign imports.

“We know what must improve on the pitch and in the dressing room," commented captain Philipp Lahm recently. “We don’t know why part of the team does not see the problem.”

Real Madrid v Napoli

It could arguably have been even worse for Arsenal, as Real Madrid were also in the pot for second-placed teams and in the end it was Napoli who drew the short straw by being paired with the defending champions.

Zinedine Zidane has had to cope without the injured Gareth Bale since late November, but Cristiano Ronaldo has been doing the business as usual and Los Merengues have already added the FIFA Club World Cup to their trophy cabinet this term.

Real are 4/1 to increase their record haul of 11 triumphs in Europe's elite club competition, but they will have to watch out for Belgium hot-shot Dries Mertens, who has hit a real hot streak in front of goal of late.

With Gonzalo Higuain departing for Juventus and replacement Arkadiusz Milik suffering a cruciate ligament injury, many feared Napoli would struggle up front, but Mertens netted four times in a 5-3 defeat of Torino in mid-December and has also hit two hat-tricks in the past couple of months.

Punters can get 80/1 the 29-year-old helps fire the Italian outfit to a first European trophy since Diego Maradona inspired them to UEFA Cup glory back in 1989.

Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid, beaten finalists twice in the last three years, are 10/1 to give Spain a fourth straight triumph ahead of taking on Bayer Leverkusen, with Diego Simeone determined to gain compensation for a penalty shoot-out loss to city rivals Real in Milan just over eight months ago.

A strong defence looks key to their prospects, with Atletico heading Group D on 15 points despite scoring only seven goals in six games, as they managed to keep four clean sheets and conceded only twice.

Leverkusen emerged from Group E unbeaten, with their two victories being a 1-0 defeat of Tottenham at Wembley and a 3-0 win over table toppers Monaco in the closing round of matches.

The 2002 runners-up have been struggling in the Bundesliga this term, though, and can be backed at 125/1 to lift the trophy.

Sevilla v Leicester

Sevilla complete a strong quartet of LaLiga qualifiers – an all-Spanish final is 3/1 – and they are favourites to end Leicester's fairytale after prevailing in the Europa League for the past three seasons.

A 3-1 home defeat to Juventus cost them first place in Group H, but Los Rojiblancos are right up there with Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga this term, so 31/1 they go all the way in this competition is sure to tempt some.

The Foxes face the threat of going from shock Premier League champions to being relegated, but they showed no signs of being overawed in this tournament when making short work of Group G.

Admittedly that was a pretty weak section, but opening with four wins and a draw allowed Claudio Ranieri to rest players for a closing 5-0 loss at Porto and they are 60/1 for a dream outright success and 20/1 to make the decider in Wales.

Manchester City v Monaco

Manchester City got as far as the last four for the first time in their history last season and they are just 9/2 to go one step further this time, while it is 13/1 for Pep Guardiola to add to his 2009 and 2011 triumphs when in charge of Barcelona.

Guardiola got the better of Manchester United in both of those finals, so it would be quite a coup to now lead their 'noisy neighbours' to European glory.

Defensive issues remain a big concern for the Blues, but Guardiola masterminded a 3-1 win over his old club at Etihad Stadium in the group stage and last-16 rivals Monaco will have noticed the addition of new sensation Gabriel Jesus to City's Champions League squad.

The French outfit, featuring a rejuvenated Radamel Falcao, are flying high in Ligue 1, though, and did beat Tottenham at home and away on route to winning Group E, so it may be foolish to write them off as 70/1 longshots to lift the trophy.

Porto v Juventus

Perennial powerhouses Juventus topped Group H in true Italian fashion, conceding only two goals in six games, and they are 12/1 to emulate their 1985 and 1996 triumphs ahead of tackling 125/1 outsiders Porto.

Massimiliano Allegri's side prevailed in all three away games and are 23/17 to take a first-leg lead back to Turin with them after visiting Portugal on February 22.

Porto were held at home by Copenhagen and lost to Leicester but then took 10 points from their final four games and only conceded one goal, so they at least have some momentum to take into the knockout stage.

Borussia Dortmund v Benfica

The final tie sees 1997 winners Borussia Dortmund go up against another 125/1 chance in Benfica, with the German outfit 12/1 to claim a second title and 6/1 to match their 2013 final appearance, when going down to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich at Wembley.

Borussia looked like finishing runners-up in Group F when they trailed 2-0 at Real Madrid in the final round of fixtures, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus - two minutes from time - scored to preserve their unbeaten record and pinch top spot.

Their 21 goals was the best during the group stage, followed by Barcelona (20) and Arsenal (18), and they are 4/1 to finish the tournament as the top scorers.

Player markets

This season's Golden Boot market is dominated by Messi, who is just 1/5 to finish on top of the chart after netting 10 times in the group stage, with nearest rivals Cavani and Robert Lewandowski on six and five respectively and both quoted at 9/1.

Neymar is the man to catch in the assists category on seven and he is 3/10 to prevail here, with Cristiano Ronaldo three behind and a 9/1 chance.

Crystal Palace to beat Sunderland – 13/20

Sam Allardyce hosts his former club at Selhurst Park fresh from a crucial victory over Bournemouth in midweek. Sunderland sit bottom of the Premier League table and are reaching a point of desperation in the tussle for safety. David Moyes’ side are now five points adrift of 17th placed Swansea and picked up only a pair of points in their last six matches.

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The Black Cats were resolute in their midweek draw with Spurs, but the need for points, and particularly off their rivals, means that Sunderland will have to expose themselves a little more against Palace. Allardyce’s side are set up to counter-attack through the pace of their wide players and power of Christian Benteke and should have enough to notch a vital victory.

Everton to beat Bournemouth – 18/25

Bournemouth head to Goodison Park on Saturday and continue to prove themselves as the league’s most inconsistent team. Having scored six goals in their last four league games, Eddie Howe’s Cherries have picked up only two points and won only one of their last seven. They face an Everton side who have returned to somewhere near their early season form to go unbeaten in six.

Everton boast a strong home record, they have been beaten only once in their last 14 at Goodison, Bournemouth have really struggled defensively of late – everything is pointing to a comfortable home win.

A home win, at 18/25, is excellent value. Everton have looked very good late and could have easily nicked a win against Stoke on Wednesday night. Bournemouth, on the other hand, are unlikely to be able to cope with Romelu Lukaku.

Watford to beat Burnley – 23/20

No team will have more confidence than Watford at the moment. The Hornets were ruthless in the first half against Arsenal particularly and picked up an unlikely three points from the Emirates. They now host a Burnley side incapable of reproducing their Turf Moor form on the road.

Everything is pointing in Watford’s failure, despite their indifferent performances leading up to the victory over Arsenal. The Clarets have lost their last six away from home in the league and, although we can expect a low scoring affair, are unlikely to end that poor run at Vicarage Road.

After their midweek exploits, 23/20 is a very fair price on Watford to pick up a victory against a team who struggle so significantly away from the comforts of home.

José Mourinho is used to winning silverware. At Porto, he started out with two league titles, a UEFA Cup and then an incredible Champions League in 2004, on the way to whichhis sidebeat Manchester Unitedin the round of 16.

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Chelsea snapped up the Portuguese, and Mourinho was able to achieve similar levels of success at Stamford Bridge, winning the Premier League in 2005 and 2006, although repeatinghis Champions League success proved beyond him.

After leaving Chelsea in 2007 following reported disagreements with owner Roman Abramovich, José illustrated he was no flash in the pan by steering Internazionale to the Champions League for the first time in 45 years, while also adding two Serie A titles to his personal trophy cabinet.

However, Mourinho had a less successful time at Real Madrid, failing to win the tenth European Cup/Champions League title Los Blancos craved. A second stint with Chelsea started brightly, with Mourinho again winning the Premier League in 2015, but ended sourly with the majority of the dressing room falling out with Mourinho.

This brings us to the 2016-17 season, and José’s current travails. The 53-year-old is now the manager of Manchester United, hoping to resurrect the club’s fortunes after his predecessors, David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, were unable to maintain the success of Sir Alex Ferguson.

How has Mourinho done so far at Manchester United?

We know there are often ridiculous levels of expectation in football, especially in the Premier League, where every club is desperate to remain, many believe they can achieve a top-half finish and a large group think they canor expect to qualify for European football each season.

José Mourinho stated at the beginning of the campaign that he felt Manchester United should be challenging for the Premier League title this season. He didn’t say the Red Devils would finish top, but it’s clear he felt his team should be finishing no lower than fourth, thus ensuring a return to the Champions League.

At the time of writing, United are falling well short of this modest expectation. They have a modest return of 21 points from 14 games, putting them 13 points behind pace-setters Chelsea. It’s fair to say José probably isn’t amused to see his former club at the top of the table and disappearing into the distance.

Mourinho’s Manchester United aren’t winning enough matches and they’re not scoring enough goals. The recent match at Goodison Park, saw United take a fortunate 1-0 lead through Zlatan Ibrahimović, only for Everton to score a late equaliser, much in the same way Arsenal did at Old Trafford a few weeks previously.

Indeed, at the time of writing,Manchester United have drawn more games than they’ve won in the top flight this season, but Mourinho insists his team have been unlucky. Does he have a case here?

Are Manchester United out of luck right now?

"We are not getting the results we deserve," said Mourinho after that 1-1 draw with Everton. "We are getting draws, but deserving victory”.

Ultimately, football is a very simple game. Each team has to try and score more goals than the other, and when leading, the best sides will often close the game down in order to maintain that lead. The trademark of classic José Mourinho sidesis their ability to manage a game and maintain a leaduntil the final whistle.

Mourinho has always been a conservative manager, yet his Manchester United team has thrown away several leads already this season. Everton, Arsenal and Stoke City have all scored late goals against them- United’s speciality under Ferguson - and one of the reasons these have been so damaging is because United haven’t been able to score the decisive goal that kills a game off.

"Opposition are leaving the stadium super happy with points they don't deserve, and we are leaving the stadium with a feeling we deserved more,” said Mourinho.

It’s a tough argument to support. Whether he feels his side deserves more from each game is a moot point. The Red Devils have scored two or more goals in just four of their 14 top-flight games to date this season, a statistic that goes a long way towards explaining why they’ve not racked up the points that would see them challenging Chelsea at the top of the table.

A running tally of 19 goals in 14 matches is not enough when compared to 32 scored by Chelsea, the 33 notched by Arsenal and the 35 bagged by Liverpool. The latter’s defence has conceded 18 goals, yet theyare still nine points better off than Manchester United.

Why aren’t Manchester United scoring enough goals?

"When my teams are playing pragmatic football and winning matches and winning titles, you say that is not nice and not right," Mourinhohas said.

"Then my team play very well - and [that] is a huge change to the last two or three years [at Manchester United] - now you say what matters is to get the result no matter what”.

José is no stranger to conflict. He will regularly fall on his sword in press conferences and take journalists to task in a bid to protect his players. After the recent Everton match, there were plenty who needed protection, such as Marcos Rojo, whose two-footed lunge on Idrissa Gueye merited a straight red card, and Marouane Fellaini, whose clumsy challenge against his former club gifted the Toffees a late penalty.

Defensively, United could be a lot sharper; they miss Eric Bailly, who hasn’t played since sustaining an injury in his sides 4-0 hammering at Stamford Bridge. However, it’s the attacking element ofUnited’s play that requires closer scrutiny.

Zlatan Ibrahimović arrived at Old Trafford to massive fanfare, with Paul Pogba, arriving for a world record transfer fee from Juventus, another signing that had the football world purring. It wasn’t difficult to make a case for United doing well, with Mourinho having coveted the manager’s job at the club for a long time.

However, this United team is not scoring enough goals in the Premier League. Their goal at Everton came from a goalkeeping mistake rather than any creativity from a Manchester United player. They could only manage one goal at home to a West Ham United side who were trounced 5-1 by Arsenal the following weekend.

Against the Gunners, they dominated, but could only find the net once, while newly-promoted Burnley shut them out completely and landed a goalless draw at Old Trafford.

It’s all very well scoring four goals against Feyenoord and Fenerbahçe in the Europa League, but that’s only happened once in the Premier League this term, against the struggling champions Leicester City, who couldn’t deal with a wave of first-half United attacks, their defending from set pieces being particularly poor.

Ibrahimović has kept up his end of the bargain, scoring 12 goals in all competitions, but Anthony Martial, who made such an impact last season after his arrival in January, has only managed to find the net once in the Premier League, while Marcus Rashford has been in and out of the side despite making a similar impact to Martial last term.

Does Mourinho need more time at Manchester United?

"In this moment we have teams getting results that defend with 11, kick [the] ball and attack the space on the counter-attack. It is phenomenal, it's beautiful.You have to make a decision."

Mourinho seems to have been taking a pot shot at his former Chelsea side here, vexed as he’s very likely to be to see Antonio Conte inherit a squad he seemed unable to inspire or motivate last season and turn them into title contenders.

When the sides met at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, Chelsea handed Manchester United a hiding that started with a Chris Smalling mistake; the Blues never looked back as they triumphed 4-0, humiliating their former gaffer.

At the final whistle, Mourinho took umbrage with Conte for the way he celebrated the fourth goal with the Chelsea supporters, and it was clear the green-eyed monster had reared its head, the quote above being a pointed reference to the way his former club fashioned a win at Manchester City last weekend.

All is not well at Old Trafford under Mourinho, but the January transfer window is just around the corner, so perhaps the he will be able to make some changes to a squad who aren’t delivering for him at the moment.

During his most successful moments with Porto, Chelsea and Internazionale, Mourinho had trusted lieutenants on the pitch who would fight tooth and nail for their manager. Didier Drogba was so loyal to José that he threatened to resign from Chelsea after it emerged Mourinho had left the club in 2007.

Does Mourinho command that level of commitment from his United players? Wayne Rooney is very much all about Wayne Rooney as his career winds down, while Pogba is seemingly cut from similar cloth, and is perhaps weighed down by his price tag; how many games has the Frenchman really influenced in a red shirt so far?

However, it should be remembered that José hasn’t inherited a team of champions. If he’d directly succeed Ferguson, perhaps things would be different - Mourinho may have found it easier to maintain Sir Alex’s success, rather than start all over again

However, Moyes’ brief reign and the odd Van Gaal regime, which ultimately saw the team relying on rookiesMartial and Rashford for goals, have left the team, squad and even the club disjointed.

Has modern football overtaken Mourinho?

José Mourinho arrived in English football in 2004. The Premier League looked a lot different back then. Chelsea were newly-rich thanks to Abramovich, while Manchester United and Arsenal had battled it out for the title for much of the previous ten years

Clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur weren’t considered serious title challengers, and Mourinho inherited the foundations of Claudio Ranieri’s strong Chelsea side on which to build a team that won league titles with machine-like efficiency.

Twelve years later and things have changed immeasurably. While Arsène Wenger remains the manager at Arsenal, the club is slowly but surely re-emerging as a tile contender, while Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City all have successful, highly-regarded managers. Tottenham Hotspur are a force under Mauricio Pochettino, having challenged for the tile last season.

All this means Mourinho has to find a way of competing against new methods of coaching and ways of playing.It’s perhaps not enough for the Portuguese to rely on the steely mentality and defensive resolve of his most successful sides and look to take the lead then close the game down; even sides near the foot of the Premier League are now capable of giving the top sides a game on their day.

There are also signs Mourinho has become more negative as the years have worn on. Modern-day top-level football requires managers to massage the egos of the star players, put an arm around their shoulder on a daily basis and tell them how great they are, but Mourinho increasingly seems willing to criticise his players in public.

Mourinho built much of his legacy on the siege mentality he was able to create in his best sides, but the way he spectacularly lost the dressing room at Stamford Bridge the season after landing a Premier League title suggests his power could be waning, in that regard at least.

Qualifying for next season’s Champions League is absolutely vital for Manchester United if the club wants to attract more superstars like Pogba and Ibrahimović; others will only follow if they can play elite European football on a regular basis.

Perhaps the best chance Manchester United have of making next season’s Champions League is by winning this season’s Europa League, but whether Mourinho is prepared to take the competition seriously, even while his side remain outside the top four of the Premier League, remains to be seen.

“Lukaku can beat Ronaldo’s scoring record in season one. It would be a big statement, personally for Romelu and the team as well. It would mean a lot and obviously mean they are in the race for the title. We are just in October and a lot can happen until the end but he can carry on.”

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With seven goals from his opening seven league games the towering Belgium is already well on his way to reaching that magic target but it’s not only the in-form striker who is scoring for fun this term at Old Trafford: Mourinho’s men are running riot with an average of three per game and eight more than at this stage last year. 

“I’m not surprised to see a more attacking Manchester United side because I was privileged to follow the team during their pre-season US tour. From day one in the training sessions and in the first game you could see the change in attitude when in transition. There was clearly a desire to go forward and spend less time in possession. So it’s only natural that the production of football is more entertaining. It is a surprise though the amount they are scoring because the Premier League is a tough league so I’m delighted to see that.”

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“Rashford’s impact is not far off Wayne’s"

A significant factor in United’s new-found potency has been the continued rise and rise of their teenage superstar Marcus Rashford. Having witnessed first-hand the phenomenal impact made by a young Wayne Rooney in the mid-2000s does the former French international believe comparisons can be made?

“Rashford’s impact is not far off Wayne’s. I think in terms of maturity Wayne was a little more advanced but quality wise and in his mentality and the desire to work hard while staying humble, Marcus is the same.”

“I love the fact that he’s taking free-kicks. That means a lot. He is surrounded by more experienced, technical players but he’s stepping in which shows that behind closed doors he’s working on them and has the respect from everyone from the manager down in his ability. At 20 years old to do that is a big testament to his character”.

 

"United have a chance this year to win the Premier League"

Speaking of character Manchester United are going to have to dig into their reserves – both figuratively and literally – in the months ahead following the shock news that Paul Pogba is expected to be out of action for some considerable time. Silvestre however points to a beefed-up squad that is now strong enough to cope with adversity.

“It’s a big blow. On the back of a decent season last year there was so much expectation for Paul to have a full, strong season. It will have an effect on the squad and results because he’s the best number 8 at the club. Now they have to rotate Fellaini, Mata, Matic, Carrick and Herrera and that’s why United have a chance this year to win the Premier League. The depth is there and that’s why it was so important to sign Matic this summer”.

The summer swoop for the Serbian midfielder has taken on even greater value this past week with Marouane Fellaini joining the treatment room queue after suffering ligament damage while on international duty. Was the supporters’ despondent reaction to the news proof that he has now won over the Stretford End faithful?

“We’ve heard many times that Marouane is not a Manchester United player but what is a Manchester United player? It’s one that works hard and never gives up and that’s what he does. He’s proven his doubters wrong because he is committed and had an impact. He is showing his passion and that’s what the fans recognise. The fans aren’t stupid, they see that the guy doesn’t give up and all credit to him.”

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“If I was a Liverpool fan I’d be more worried about strikers facing their defence than United"

If United’s attack is firing on all cylinders and their midfield is coping with key absences their defence is also deserving of plaudits having conceded a miserly two goals so far in 2017/18. Silvestre is quick to praise but readily admits they have not yet been properly tested, a situation that will surely change this weekend as they face a Liverpool forward line that is becoming known in some quarters as the ‘Fab Four’. Then again, perhaps not.

 “They are good players but hardly world class yet. Over the course of the ninety minutes you would expect them to make some chances because they are talented but there is not one goal-machine from Salah, Firmino, Mane or Coutinho. They are missing that clinical player because at the end of the day it is this one you have to be worried about, the one you expect to finish 20-25 times a season. Liverpool doesn’t have one yet. United are going to be tested but I think they can control these guys.”

“If I was a Liverpool fan I’d be more worried about strikers facing their defence than United. Especially Lukaku and Rashford. The problem with Liverpool is when they lose possession they do not protect the back four so they are exposed to one- v-ones on many occasions. That’s because they expend so much energy going forward as a unit.”

This weekend’s ‘M62 derby’ is one of the most frenetic and enthralling fixtures in world football, a local dust-up that never fails to keep even neutrals on the edge of their seats for ninety intense minutes. Having experienced the unique occasion at close quarters several times over during his nine years at United how does Silvestre look back on those intimidating visits to Anfield?

“You feel like you’re going to hell. You are not welcome and you can feel the hate for sure. It’s a hostile environment and it’s a good occasion to see how you react in adversity. It’s the best place to win games.”

***

Mikael Silvestre’s quickfire questions

Score prediction for Liverpool v Manchester United 2-2.

Who will win the Premier League? United.

Who will win the Premier League’s Golden Boot? Lukaku

Who will win the Champions League? Madrid can’t do it again. Barcelona.

***

Mourinho as Cersei Lannister?! Game of Thrones characters in Football world

Former Manchester City and Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips believes Sergio Aguero surpasses Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and his own dad Ian as the Premier League’s most clinical hit-man.

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“There is definitely an argument that Sergio Aguero is the Premier League’s best ever striker.  If he stays fit all year that ups City’s chances of winning the Premier League and the Champions League. He’s a great finisher and he always fights hard for the team as well. I think Kun can score thirty goals easily this season. Especially in the form that he’s in now, that would be an easy mark for him.”

Expectation of such an abundance of goals is understandable, given that City are already threatening to rip up the record books, with an astonishing 16 goals in their last three league games alone.

“The difference between City now and last year is they are taking the chances they are creating. Last year, they weren’t, and the opposition would score and City found themselves chasing games. City are not conceding many goals and creating maybe double the chances than they did last year. If they keep scoring from those, it’s going to be hard to stop them.”

Much of this, of course, is down to one individual, and it isn’t the Argentine goal-machine. Last term, the knives were out for Pep Guardiola as he struggled to impose his exacting vision onto English football. Wright-Phillips insists the criticism was premature.

“For me, he has proven his critics wrong. He’s now had the time to get the team that he wants, and mould them into his style of play. From the results you can clearly see what is happening.”

What is happening are transformations throughout the squad, not least from Raheem Sterling, a player who could be viewed as Wright-Phillips’ successor as City and England’s go-to speedy winger. The 22 year old’s six goals from four starts reveals a confidence that may have previously been lacking.

“Under Pep, he has improved a lot. Obviously when he was at Liverpool, they were a more direct playing team, while City play a lot more football, so to no longer just play off the shoulder he’s come to learn the game. He has settled in well after a bit of stick he was getting last year and it’s nice to see him bounce back and silence the critics. People don’t understand sometimes how mentally hard it is and he has answered them in the right way; he didn’t go out and do anything silly, but did his talking on the football pitch. Now he’s in the spotlight for all the good things.”

Elsewhere, Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has received considerable acclaim for his all-action displays and intelligent passing, with many believing he is the fulcrum around which this exciting team thrives. Wright-Phillips, however – who now plays his football in the MLS for Pheonix Rising – pinpoints an ex-team-mate as the one to watch.

“De Bruyne is unbelievable but my favourite player there is still David Silva. I had the privilege of playing with him and training with him. He just makes it impossible to get the ball off him and he sees things three passes ahead. Everywhere I’ve been and everyone I speak to speaks very, very highly of him and about what a great player he is. He’s just as nice off the pitch too.”

This Saturday the Manchester giants head to Stamford Bridge for what will surely be their sternest test yet against the champions and title contenders, Chelsea. Having played there for three years – winning the Premier League in 2006 – the 35 year old still watches their games with keen interest and is unconcerned about the perceived loss of form from their most influential star.

“Hazard will always play the same way. He has played so many games in the past couple of years so it’s only natural that he might have a little dip through tiredness but once he’s back on his feet he’s always going to play the same way, with a style that can’t be defended. He can turn a game on its head on his own.”

Any misgivings about the Blues’ squad depth meanwhile, following a frustrating summer of transfer dealings for manager Antonio Conte, receives short shrift.

“I still think that Chelsea have quite a lot of depth and they remain title challengers. Conte wanted more players but for the team that won the title last season there is not much change and they’ve added Morata who is on fire at the minute. So I don’t think they’re worrying too much.”

Having taken the Premier League by storm with seven goals in seven games Alvaro Morata has already banished Diego Costa to a distant memory for Chelsea fans. Could he now go on to become a striking legend at the Bridge in the same vein as Wright-Phillips’ present team-mate (and co-owner of Phoenix) Didier Drogba?

“I wouldn’t say that Morata is in Didier’s space now but if he keeps scoring and running in behind and creating chances for others then he’s heading in that direction because he does the same things that Didier did. He runs into channels, he creates chances, and he finishes.”

As for this weekend’s clash the 36 cap England international is anticipating open warfare from the visitors with Conte’s men choosing their battles carefully.

“Manchester City are more free-flowing than Chelsea in their passing while Chelsea are more resilient. They’re okay with soaking up pressure and hitting on the break. City like to control games and play more attacking.”

“I haven’t seen that many weaknesses with City but that’s only because they have the ball 80% of the time. But set-pieces need to be concentrated on because Chelsea are not the smallest team and they have very good qualities in that area.”

With allegiances to both clubs it would be unfair to ask who Wright-Phillips will be supporting this Saturday evening, but a clue is offered up when he’s asked how much he’d enjoy playing in this present City side, under the studied gaze of Guardiola.

“It would be a dream. Who wouldn’t enjoy playing in that side especially with how they’re playing right now? Loads of attacking, goals, and it’s just fun with everybody expressing themselves. Players have smiles on their faces.”

Shaun Wright-Phillips quickfire questions

Score prediction for Chelsea v Manchester City

2-1 to City

Who will win the Premier League?

Manchester City

Premier League’s golden boot winner?

Kun Aguero

Who will win the Champions League?

PSG are going to be the dark horse

Why is the battle for a European place such a big deal?

We’re just a matter of days away from the 2017/18 Premier League starting up, with the summer of huge money signings almost concluding, so we’re going to take a look at the stacks of money on offer to Premier League teams.

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Coming up from the Championship

Starting off with entry to the top division of English football – and arguably the greatest division of domestic football in the world – teams in the Championship have the most on offer regarding revenue increase if they earn passage to the Premier League.

Last season, excluding the upcoming Premier League payments and potential income as a result, Newcastle United earned a cool £7.1 million for winning the second-tier of English football.

This is because each team in the Championship receives the same basic and solidarity reward regardless of their finishing position. The amount was also bolstered by the bonus TV payments from broadcaster Sky to show Newcastle’s games.

As was heavily covered during the Championship playoffs, the victor would receive a massive increase in revenue upon winning the knockout section of the season. Huddersfield Town won the playoff final at Wembley stadium last season, and are set to see a whopping £170 million minimum increase in revenue over the next three seasons.

First off, their placement, TV money, and even split of the Premier League TV Rights pot will earn them £95 million if they were to finish dead-last. Then, if they were to get relegated, they would get an added £75 million over the ensuing two seasons as a parachute payment.

Standard Premier League money

In the Premier League last season, Chelsea were rewarded with £38 million for winning and Sunderland, who came 20^th, were given £1.9 million for their placement.

To add to this, there was also the TV money for being broadcasted, which ranged from £13.6 million for Sunderland, Hull City, Burnley, and Swansea, up to £31.4 million for Liverpool. Then there’s the equal split of the Premier League TV rights pot, which was split into being £84.4 million to each team, regardless of finishing position.

Race for the top four

The top four places in the Premier League are the most coveted of all, as it grants passage to the Champions League. Due to the sheer competitiveness of the division, these four places are often earmarked for around six teams, so the competition is fierce.

Within the top four, the placement reward starts at £38 million for the champions and goes down to £32.3 million for the team that snuck into fourth.

Regarding TV money, as you would expect, the top teams get a bit more than most other teams. Last season, money from the top six teams – Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United – ranged from £27.6 million to £30.4 million, with the next closest team being Everton at £21.1 million.

Now, being Premier League champions also adds a significant boost to the amount that the team is shown on TV.

Take Leicester City for example. After their incredible title winning season in 2015/16, they earned the most TV money of any team outside of the top seven with £19.2 million in 2016/17, whereas their title winning campaign only garnered them £12.8 million due to fewer of their broadcast games.

However, Leicester went in with a somewhat bog-standard number of games set to be shown when they shocked the Premier League, whereas Chelsea are already a top team, so their TV money won’t see as much of an increase, but they will likely have a couple more of their games televised.

Now, the reward that all of the top clubs strive for: qualification to the Champions League. The top three go straight into the Champions League group stage, and fourth place enters into the playoff round.

It’s very rare for a Premier League team to not make it through the playoff round, so – speaking generally – the Premier League top four will receive an added £10.59 million for making it to the group stage.

With the merit pay for their placing, their TV money, the £84.4 million in even split of the TV right money, as well as the qualification to the Champions League group stage, top four teams earn upwards of around £160 million.

Competing in the Champions League

In recent years, Premier League clubs have struggled to perform well on the Champions League stage, with many citing how competitive the English league is – especially compared to the huge lack of competition in the other top leagues of Europe – as the problem.

But there is still big money to be won along the way...

So, playing in the group stage will bring in £10.59 million with each win adding another £1.31 million and each draw adding £440,000. For reaching the round of 16, teams are rewarded with £5.25 million, and then further progression to the quarter finals gets £5.69 million.

The semi finals bring in £6.56 million, and whichever team falls short in the final gets £9.62 million in consolation cash. Then, the winners of the Champions League take home a mighty £13.56 million, with a team who were perfect in the group stage and won the competition being able to earn a total of £50.05 million.

But the winnings don’t simply end there; the Champions League champion also gets to play in the Champions League next season, regardless of domestic league placement, and will feature in both the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. The Super Cup winners receive £3.63 million, with the runners up getting a decent £2.72 million.

When it comes to the FIFA World Club Cup, it’s very rare that the Champions League winners don’t walk away with the silverware.

Since its inception in 2000 – but not running in consecutive years until 2005 onwards – the Champions League victor has won the competition in nine of the 13 tournaments, including each of the last four, and has been in all but one final. So, with history all but guaranteeing a top two place, that’s another £3.08 million for coming second or £3.84 million for a win.

Europa League holds value

It’s not as lavish as the Champions League, but the Europa League still serves its purpose. In fact, leagues all over Europe covet the second-tier tournament despite the majority of Premier League fans turning their noses up at it.

But last season, Manchester United proved its worth by using it to qualify for the Champions League despite coming sixth in the Premier League.

In monetary terms, Europa League doesn’t bring much to the table compared to the other big competitions, with the winner of the entire tournament getting £5.9 million from the final – earning up to £14.3 million for a perfect group stage and tournament win.

But it’s all about the qualification to the Champions League to bring in at least another £10.59 million for being in the group stage. On top of that, the Europa League winners also get to face off in the UEFA Super Cup against the Champions League winners for either £2.72 million or £3.63 million.

Just base earnings

All of the TV and placement money for competing in these elite football tournaments does make up a fair chunk of a club’s earnings, but then there also aspects such as sponsorship deals to consider.

For example, Manchester United reportedly won an extra £22 million bonus from Adidas for winning the Europa League.

With upwards of £205 million available for achieving a domestic-Europe double as well as winning the two bonus competitions – not even accounting for the sponsorships and domestic cups – there’s no wonder why the top teams battle it out every year to get to the Champions League and spend huge sums to do so.