Matchday 5 of the Champions League is upon us, and while six teams may have already booked their places in the knockout stages with two games to spare, there are still ten spots in the last 16 up for grabs. Of the four English teams participating in this year’s competition, Arsenal and Chelsea look likely to be in the hat for the next round, while Manchester City and Liverpool – the champions and runners up of last season’s Premier League – face a real battle to avoid elimination. Anything but maximum points from their remaining group games will almost certainly signal the end for these two sides, which should make their ties against Bayern Munich and Ludogorets fascinating affairs. There is much more to look forward to across all groups, of course; here’s the pick of the bunch

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1. No respite for beleagured Wenger in Europe

If Arsene Wenger thinks that he can seek solace on the continent after another traumatic loss in his Arsenal side’s shambolic domestic campaign, he has another thing coming. Qualification was always to be expected in what is a largely straightforward group, and with seven points from four games – five ahead of third-placed Anderlecht – they will almost certainly progress. However, it has not been an easy ride for the Gunners. Their last outing in Europe saw them squander a three-goal lead at home to Anderlecht – on paper, the weakest team in the group – while their fortuitous last-minute comeback win against the Belgian side in Brussels at the end of October was, in hindsight, a crucial victory. Borussia Dortmund are the opponents on Wednesday, and the German outfit have already qualified for the last 16 with a maximum 12 points from their opening four matches, the first of which was a dominant 2-0 victory over Arsenal in Dortmund. Wenger will have no weak sides to fall back in the knockout stages, which makes this game an important one to determine whether his team is truly good enough to compete with the genuine heavyweights of Europe. Another insipid loss will only further anger the already discontented fans, many of whom are already calling for managerial change. The pressure is most certainly on for Wenger; he cannot afford to take his side’s remaining group games lightly.

2. Mourinho’s fringe players to get a run-out?

If Wenger is feeling the heat in North London, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is as cool as an inuit’s cucumber in the west of the capital. Not only do his side look unstoppable in the Premier League, they are also top of their Champions League group, although qualification is not yet guaranteed after the Blues had to settle for a draw against Slovenian minnows Maribor three weeks ago. An away tie against Schalke on Tuesday will by no means be a stroll in the park, but Mourinho may still decide to rest the likes of Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard, especially with the gruelling Christmas schedule looming large. The Chelsea boss was critical of a number of fringe players in their tight League Cup victory over Shrewsbury Town last month; Tuesday’s match represents an excellent opportunity for these bit-parters – many of whom would walk into most Premier League sides, let us not forget – to prove a point.

3. Do or die for Rodgers

For a number of weeks now, it seems that every Liverpool game has been promoted to ‘must-win’ status, yet Reds boss Brendan Rodgers remains in charge even as his side has succumbed to loss after hapless loss, the most recent of which was a frankly pathetic 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace in the league on Sunday. While ‘must-win’ is of course nothing more than a catchy phrase used by the media to elevate the importance of a game, one gets the feeling that Liverpool’s crunch match against Basle at Anfield on Wednesday evening really is all or nothing for Rodgers. After an atrocious start to the domestic campaign, the 41 year-old simply needs to secure progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League. Reds fans have waited five long years for their side’s return to Europe’s elite club competition; elimination at the group stage would not go down well with the Anfield faithful, to put it kindly. A Basle win would end Liverpool’s participation in the tournament, and with the way things are going so far for the Reds it would not come as a great surprise if the Swiss side got a result at Anfield. Rodgers must ensure that this does not happen, otherwise his time on Merseyside would surely be up.

4. Time for AVB to prove his worth

Andre Villas-Boas entered English football management as one of the brightest coaching talents in the world; only 33 years of age when he took over at Chelsea in 2011, he had already won a treble during his time at Porto, leading the Portuguese side to an undefeated season in his single campaign in charge. Two years later, he left England with his reputation in tatters, having lasted just eight months at Stamford Bridge and a season-and-a-half at Tottenham Hotspur. AVB opted to head to Russia to restart his career, and has been in charge of Zenit St Petersburg since March. A current win percentage of nearly 70% suggests that the Portuguese is doing a decent job, yet he has found it difficult in the Champions League so far this season; Zenit are third in their group with four points, and must get a result against Benfica on Wednesday to stand a chance of qualifying. Villas-Boas clearly has the ability to succeed in continental competition, having guided Porto to Europa League glory in 2011. A convincing win this week against Porto’s fiercest rivals would go a long way to silence his critics.