Manchester City are facing the real prospect of squeezing in another round of fixtures into their already congested schedule after a disastrous draw with Feyenoord in the Champions League.
For large parts on Tuesday night, it appeared to be a return to business as usual at the Etihad Stadium with City racing into a 3-0 lead over their Dutch opponents. However, an astonishing collapse brought about by a host of individual errors saw Feyenoord rescue a point in the final 15 minutes of the match.
The result did end City's losing run of five but also leaves them six games winless across all competitions. When it comes to their Champions League campaign, that also sits in jeopardy.
Ahead of tonight's final Matchday Five fixtures, City sit two points off the top eight but that gap could increase further. They currently sit 15th in the table meaning a Champions League play-off could be on the horizon for them.
If they were to finish between 9th and 24th, City would need to beat an opponent decided by a seeded draw over two legs. Should City have to take part in this stage, they will be forced to play an extra two fixtures in mid-February just as the Premier League title race begins to heat up.
However, if they were to finish in the top eight, they would not return to the Champions League until March. Extra matches are exactly what City and Arsenal will be hoping to avoid in the new year.
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The Gunners currently sit inside the top eight after a thumping victory over Sporting last night. There is still a real possibility that Arsenal could be forced into the play-offs but should they beat AS Monaco, Dinamo Zagreb and Girona, the chances are high that they will progress automatically to the next round and benefit from an 'easier' draw in the knockout stages.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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