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English elite expected to raise their standards

THERE was no English representation in last season’s Champions League quarter-finals but Premier League clubs have every chance to make amends after all four received reasonable draws in Monaco on Thursday.

Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City are favourites to advance to the knockout stage as group winners (1-3, 10-11 and 6-5 respectively), while Arsenal are 1-6 to reach the last 16 for a 15th successive season despite being drawn in the same section as Bayern Munich.

Chelsea appear to have the easiest task having been drawn alongside Porto, Dynamo Kiev and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Group G. The Blues are just 1-20 to qualify for the last 16 and 10-1 to win the trophy.

Jose Mourinho’s reunion with Porto will be eagerly anticipated but Chelsea have a wonderful opportunity to settle into their stride and are 2-1 favourites with Betfred to be the last English team left in the competition.

Manchester City have the trickiest task, having been drawn in Group D alongside Serie A champions Juventus, Borussia Monchengladbach and Europa League holders Seville.

City have never advanced beyond the last 16 of the Champions League in four attempts but despite their poor record they are 16-1 joint-fifth favourites outright.

Manchester United have been cut from 22-1 to 16-1 to lift the trophy for a fourth time after being paired with PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg.

There are no easy games for the Red Devils and their toughest matches could be against Wolfsburg, who are 12-5 second favourites to win the section.

Arsenal will fancy themselves to get out of Group F which also features Bayern, Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb.

The Gunners are 11-4 to win the section and 25-1 to win the competition for the first time in their history.

Despite English clubs having luck with the draw, Betfred rate an all-English final a 20-1 chance while an all-Spanish showpiece is priced up at just 4-1.

Ladbrokes go evens from 8-11 that all four Premier League teams reach the last 16 and bet365 offer 20-1 that all four English teams reach the last eight and 7-1 that none of them do.

Spain are 11-10 favourites with Hills to be the winning nation.

Barcelona are solid 3-1 favourites to retain their title after being drawn in Group E alongside Bayer Leverkusen, Roma and Bate Borisov.

Bayern – managed by former Barca boss Pep Guardiola – are 9-2 second favourites while Real Madrid are 11-2, having landed in Group A alongside Paris St-Germain, Shakhtar Donetsk and Malmo.

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