English clubs to truimph in Champions League this week

The four Premier League clubs kick-off their Champions League campaigns this week all hoping that they will lift the trophy come next May in Madrid. They have all been drawn in groups that they can qualify from and they will all be confident of winning their groups. They also have a good chance of winning their opening games.

United should win in Istanbul

Manchester United face a trip to Turkish champions Besiktas on Tuesday. The hardest thing about visiting Turkish club sides is usually the partisan crowds and hostile atmosphere that greets away sides. Although Besiktas claimed the Turkish league and cup double last season but they are still expected to struggle in this competition.

However they have the most experienced coach in the Turkish game in Mustafa Denizli. The club have also brought Turkish international striker Nihat Kahveci back from a stint in Spain with Villarreal. The clubs finances have restricted the strengthening of the squad and dark memories of a 8-0 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool just a few years ago will still be on their minds. I believe the English champions will have too much for the Turkish side. It will be a close encounter but the Red Devils should prevail.

Besiktas have no real Champions League pedigree but will be hoping to cause a shock in this group. A group that also contains first time German champions Wolfsburg and Russian side CSKA Moscow. They have a chance in this group due to the two other teams also suffering a lack of experience in this competition.

Chelsea to triumph at the Bridge

Chelsea host FC Porto at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night. Porto were again crowned Portuguese champions last season for the fourth consecutive season. They do have good European experience having won the 2003 UEFA Cup and Champions League the following season under Jose Mourinho. However recent European campaigns since have proved disappointing.

They have high hopes for this season but also have Spanish side Atletico Madrid to compete with for a place in the knockout rounds. Chelsea are the favourites for this group and this will be a tight encounter with the Blues coming out on top, but it won’t be easy for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Porto’s new signings Colombian striker Falcao and Argentinian playmaker Fernando Belluschi will both pose a threat to the Chelsea back line. However they are also likely to miss the departed duo of Lisandro Lopez who joined Lyon and Lucho Gonzalez who joined Marseille.

Liverpool to win comfortably at Anfield

Liverpool should record a routine victory over Hungarian champions Debrecen at Anfield on Wednesday night. Debrecen have become a major force in their homeland due to their youth policy. Quite similar to Liverpool some of their most influential players come from the local area. Winger Tibor Dombi, defender Csaba Bernath and captain Zoltan Kiss have all came through their youth system.

Their star player is striker Gergerly Rudolf who plays for the Hungarian national side and also has experience of playing in France with Nancy. Another player to look out for is 21 year-old Jozsef Varga who scored crucial winners in previous rounds against Swedes Kalmar and Estonian side Levadia. He is also a product of the Debrecen youth system. This however is a true David vs Goliath clash and I can’t see anything other than a Liverpool victory in this clash.

Arsenal to scrape a hard fought win in Belgium

Arsenal travel to Belgian champions Standard Liege on Wednesday night. This season will be Standard’s first in the Champion’s League group stage, but they knocked Everton out of last season’s UEFA Cup and also clinched their second consecutive Belgian league title last season.

They have a strong squad with talented young midfielders Steven Defour and Axel Witzel the stars. Although the latter has came under criticism for an awful challenge in a domestic game against Anderlecht. Standard have lost defender Oguchi Onyewu to AC Milan this summer but have managed to keep strikers Milan Jovanovic and Dieumerci Mbokani. Both strikers have revealed they wanted to leave Belgium but neither player could secure a move away.

This could be the trickiest of all the games for the English sides as Arsenal are currently on a low from two consecutive defeats in the league and the Sclessin Ground is a difficult place to visit. If Arsenal play to their strengths then Standard should be beaten comfortably, but if Arsenal don’t perform it could prove a very bad night for Arsene Wenger and co.