FOR THREE of the four big English teams, this is another routine week of Champions League football.

Never mind qualification, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United can all secure top spot in their groups with a match still left to play.

How Liverpool would love to be in such a comfortable position.

The Reds left for Hungary yesterday morning knowing that what they do there is secondary to whatever Fiorentina do to Lyon.

If the Italians beat the group leaders then Liverpool will need to start familiarising themselves with the Europa League.

It won't matter how many goals they beat Debrecen by, qualification will be impossible.

Of course, a Liverpool victory is no foregone conclusion these days.

With just one win in his last 10 games, Rafa Benitez is struggling to maintain morale, as criticism of his management style intensifies.

Jamie Redknapp, who played over 300 games for Liverpool in 10 years at Anfield, is the latest former player to put the boot in, accusing Benitez of manipulating the fans to hide the fact that his team is going nowhere.

'Nowhere' might actually be a far more attractive destination than the oblivion that awaits Liverpool if they don't start winning games soon.

Back in London, Arsenal will look to recover from their surprising defeat at the Stadium of Light by steamrollering Standard Liege at the Emirates.

The Belgian champions gave Arsene Wenger a nasty shock at the beginning of the group stages, taking a quickfire two-goal lead before eventually losing 2-3.

They shouldn't present any serious opposition this time, but as always, Arsenal are their own worst enemies.

When they're on their game, you can forget about Barcelona and Man United, the Gunners are the best team in the world.

When they're not, they can be beaten by Sunderland. Until they learn to be as consistent and ruthless as Chelsea, they will struggle for silverware.

Speaking of Chelsea, they'll be in Portugual trying to secure top spot in Group D.

Carlo Ancelotti's side has already qualified for the group stage, but a win at Porto will ensure that the Blues don't have to face a group winner in the next round, and that's something worth fighting for.

Chelsea look unstoppable at the moment, but this will still be a tricky encounter.

Ancelotti has vowed to play his strongest team, and rightly so. Those senior players can get all the rest they need when the reserves are wearing their shirts for the dead-rubber final fixture.

Man United have the easiest fixture, a nice milk-run against bottom club Besiktas at Old Trafford.

Expect a raft of changes from Sir Alex Ferguson and a possible appearance for veteran right-back and hero of the common man, Gary Neville.

The outspoken senior Neville gave another rip-roaring interview a few days ago when he described the majority of modern players as being 'too thick to buy a fridge'.

It will be fascinating to see how many of his team-mates still want to pass to him after that little soundbite.

By Thursday morning, three English teams could be eagerly anticipating a seeded draw in the first knock-out stages, but the best that the fourth side can hope for may just be a seeded draw in the Europa League.

Lyon will never have had as many supporters as they'll have for 90 minutes tonight.

'A MANIPULATION'

FORMER Liverpool star Jamie Redknapp has questioned Rafael Benitez's management and claims that he manipulates the club's fans.

On the eve of Liverpool's crunch Champions League showdown in Hungary against Debrecen - where they could fail to reach the last 16 for the first time under Benitez - Redknapp offered a wide-ranging criticism of the Anfield boss.

Redknapp believes Benitez should abandon the controversial zonal marking system and questioned whether Fernando Torres will want to stay if Liverpool are only in the Europa League next season.

Redknapp, who played more than 300 games for the club between 1991 and 2002, said: 'They have won one in 10 now and fans will be thinking. They are firmly behind him, though, he manipulates the fans, he gets them how he wants them.

'But there comes a time, if they go out of Europe this week and then lose at Everton, that the fans are swayed and will say that we have to look at him now.

'That team is not really going anywhere. The problem you will get is that will Fernando Torres want to play in the Europa League? I don't think so.

'If they don't get into the top four at the end of this season, it will be a major problem.

'You have huge problems going on behind the scenes with the owners, but it is too easy to blame that. On the pitch the players are not playing well enough, that's a fact.'

On Liverpool's defensive problems, Redknapp was equally damning.

He said: 'A few years ago zonal marking was the best format because they were one of the best defenders from set-pieces.

'But the reason for that was that they had Peter Crouch and Sami Hyypia, two guys who are 6ft 5in plus.

'It doesn't matter how you defend when the ball comes in, zonal or man to man, they will clear it. Now you have a situation where people are not taking responsibility.

'You might have to turn round and say that zonal isn't working, let's go man for man. At the moment he is giving players excuses, teams look at it and think they will score against Liverpool.'

PA Sport

TORRES OUT

FERNANDO Torres stayed behind yesterday, as expected, as Liverpool flew out to Hungary for their Champions League clash with Debrecen.

The Spain striker has remained on Merseyside for treatment on his groin injury.

Manager Rafael Benitez told the club's website: 'We thought it would be two or three weeks and he's only 12 or 13 days into that so there's no point in him going.

'The next few days will decide if he is fit for Everton (on Sunday), but at this moment there are no guarantees.'

Liverpool need to beat Debrecen to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive, although a victory would be rendered meaningless if Fiorentina beat Lyon.

PA Sport