What do Arsenal, Manchester United, Wolves and Rangers need to do on Thursday?
Thursday 12 December 2019 12:33, UK
It's now or never as we reach the last game of the Europa League group stages, and there's plenty still up for grabs for British clubs.
Here's the state of play across the 12 Europa League groups with a game to go, as the race for the last 32 reaches its conclusion where the eight third-placed Champions League teams will join the competition.
All of the remaining matches will be played on Thursday.
Sevilla, APOEL, Basel, Sporting Lisbon, LASK, Celtic, Espanyol, Gent, Wolfsburg, Braga, Wolves, Manchester United, AZ.
Sevilla have already sewn up Group A and can finish with a perfect record if they win at APOEL, who are confirmed as group runners-up.
There's another dead rubber in the bottom half of the group, where Qarabag and Dudelange go head to head to compete for third place with both out of contention for the last 32.
The top three teams in Group B have everything to play for in the final round of matches. FC Copenhagen will be through with a win or a draw against Malmo, but even a defeat would do if Dynamo Kyiv do not beat Lugano in the other game.
Any result for Lugano would also put Malmo through, but otherwise the Swedish side will need three points or they will be pipped to qualification by Dynamo Kyiv.
Basel are through regardless of what happens in the Getafe vs Krasnodar game, because although all three could end on 10 points, they would emerge top of the three-way head-to-head decider. A win for Basel will clinch them first place in the group, while a draw would be enough if the other match also ends tied.
Getafe need a draw to progress, as their head to head against Krasnodar is superior, and will top the group if they win and Basel drop points. A defeat would put Krasnodar, likewise in first place if Basel drop points. Trabzonspor are out.
It's winner-takes-all when LASK host Sporting. Both are guaranteed qualification but a win would give either top spot. A draw is enough for Sporting to win the group.
PSV, who host pointless Rosenborg, are out, as are their visitors.
Celtic have already qualified as group winners, and may have the fate of the other side to join them in the last 32 in their hands. They travel to second-placed Cluj, who need a draw to go through, but could also qualify with a defeat if Lazio lose to Rennes.
That's the only beacon of hope for Lazio, who are three points behind Cluj but have a better head-to-head record, while Rennes are playing for pride and already out.
This is a complicated one. Arsenal need a point away at Standard Liege to guarantee going through to the knockout stages, but a Frankfurt defeat at home to Vitoria would also be enough.
If Standard Liege do not win then Frankfurt are guaranteed a last-32 spot, but if the German side pick up three points they will seal their place either way. Liege are relying on a Frankfurt defeat, coupled with winning themselves against Arsenal, or they are out. Vitoria are already out.
All three of the top teams could end on 10 points, with six points each in their three-way head-to-head table, if Standard Liege win and Frankfurt draw. That would mean goal difference in the corresponding games between the three would be used to determine who makes the last 32, leaving Arsenal in a very strong position to qualify.
The only way the Gunners could exit is with a defeat by five or more goals at Liege and a win for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Rangers will be through with a draw, while Porto need to match Young Boys' result to progress. The Swiss side will seal their progression with three points, but a draw would be enough if Porto lose.
Feyenoord also have a chance, but need to win and hope Rangers beat Young Boys.
Now this one is quite straightforward. Espanyol are already through as group winners, with Ludogorets set to join them if they avoid defeat against Ferencvaros. However, a win for the Hungarian side would put them through instead.
CSKA Moscow are definitely out.
Gent are already guaranteed a place in the last 32, but would seal top spot with a win. Then it all comes down to Wolfsburg, who are also through already, but would knock Gent off top spot with three points if they do not win.
The other two sides in the group, Saint-Etienne and Oleksandriya, are already out.
Roma and Borussia Monchengladbach will both be through with a point in their respective games. That leaves Istanbul Basaksehir needing a win to progress, while Wolfsburg are out whatever happens.
It's just about jostling for position in Group K. Braga's one-point lead at the top means if they win they are guaranteed top spot, while a draw will also be enough if Wolves do not win.
Wolves can clinch first place too, but they need to win against already eliminated Besiktas and hope Slovan Bratislava, who are also out, pick up three points in their game.
It's just about winning the group in Group L, too. Group leaders Manchester United are guaranteed a last-32 place and a draw will be enough to win the group against second-placed AZ Alkmaar. A win for the Dutch side would knock them into second.
Partizan and Astana go head to head but are destined to finish third and fourth respectively.
