Premier League teams face Champions League exits after winless first legs

Six Premier League clubs face a monumental battle to reach the Champions League quarter-finals after failing to register a single victory in their last-16 first-leg ties.

English participation in Europe’s elite competition hangs in the balance following four defeats and two draws for the domestic representatives.

Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea must all produce miraculous recoveries to overturn three-goal deficits against top-quality European opposition.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are required to stage another famous European comeback at Anfield to progress to the last eight.

Arsenal and Newcastle United remain level in their respective ties but cannot afford any slip-ups in their decisive second legs.

Arteta faces attacking dilemma

Arsenal welcome Bayer Leverkusen to Emirates Stadium on Tuesday with their tie delicately poised at 1-1.

The Gunners must quickly recover from a dramatic weekend victory over Everton as they look to avoid their first major disappointment of the campaign.

Mikel Arteta faces a delicate balancing act to manage player workload ahead of the looming Carabao Cup final.

The Spanish manager must decide on his optimal forward line, particularly concerning the right attacking flank.

Noni Madueke impressed as a substitute during the first leg in Germany, potentially threatening Bukayo Saka’s starting berth.

The North London club also have a striking dilemma, with Kai Havertz competing against goalscoring substitute Viktor Gyokeres for the central role.

There is even speculation that youthful prodigy Max Dowman could be risked again in this high-stakes European encounter.

Chelsea require Stamford Bridge miracle

Chelsea host French champions Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday needing to reverse a daunting 5-2 aggregate deficit.

Head coach Liam Rosenior remains publicly defiant about his team’s chances of progression despite the historical odds.

I’ve seen teams come back from three goals down in the Champions League at home many times.

In reality, overturning a three-goal disadvantage in this competition has only been achieved four times in 51 previous attempts.

However, the Blues manager draws confidence from the fact his side created four major scoring opportunities during the defeat in the French capital.

The West London outfit will likely rely heavily on the creative brilliance of Cole Palmer to inspire an unlikely turnaround.