Full-time Fletch on English Champions League hopes

With the latter stages of the European competition kicking off this week, here's how I expect the English sides to fare in their matches.

Manchester City v Monaco

Monaco are a good team that are physically strong with plenty of pace. Manchester City will probably have too much for them, but if they are slightly off the pace then Monaco will punish them. 

It is easy to say that they are a team from the French league and it will be easy, but this is a difficult test for Manchester City. 

If Manchester City come through it. it will represent a good result, but there is a real danger to the tie as well and it wouldn't surprise me if they don't get through.

Bayern Munich v Arsenal

This is a ridiculously difficult tie for Arsenal. There has been a lot of talk about Carlo Ancelotti not being the best fit for Bayern, but they are still top of the table in Germany, not losing many games and through to the latter stages of the German cup. 

The one thing Bayern Munich will do is control possession and create opportunities. 

With the ability in the Arsenal side, they will always have a chance to progress, but it looks to me like it will be a Last 16 exit for them again.

Sevilla v Leicester

Sevilla are one of the under-the-radar teams in the Champions League this season. They are playing really well in Spain and have a fantastic European pedigree, having won the Europa League three years on the trot. 

Leicester, on the other hand, have no experience of the latter stages of European competition. On top of that, their focus before Christmas was the Champions League because they thought they would at least be safe in mid-table of the Premier League; now the focus has to be on staying in the Premier League.

Manchester United v Saint-Etienne

With United's strength and the form they are on, they should go quite deep into the Europa League. It's an important trophy for them and I would expect them to have very few problems against Saint-Etienne.  

Gent v Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino doesn't change his side very often in the Premier League so he may well start playing a second string team in the Europa League, if they remain hot in pursuit of Chelsea.