Champions League LIVE SCORES: Man City land horror play-off clash, Arsenal and Aston Villa THROUGH to last-16

What next for the English clubs?

Manchester City will face a huge challenge as they will take on one of Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in a play-off round in February to try and earn a spot in the last 16 proper.

Top eight finishers Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa will all have to wait to find out who advances to the last 16 from the play-off round to discover their opponents.

Until then, the final league table allows us to look at the four potential opponents each side would face.

Arsenal's 3rd placed finish means they will face one of AC Milan, Juventus, PSV or Feyenoord in a tricky tie.

Liverpool secured top seed, but their first-place finish hasn't done them any favours.

Arne Slot's side could still face PSG, Benfica, AS Monaco, or Brest in the last 16.

For Villa, they snuck into the top eight by the skin of their teeth in 8th place after an enthralling 4-2 victory over Celtic at Villa Park.

Their lower finish means they will face higher-seeded sides, and in this instance, that will be one of Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon or Club Brugge.

Arsenal ‘have a good chance’ of winning first Champions League title

The Gunners secured automatic qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-1 away win at Girona.

Arsenal Invincible Robert Pires believes there is a good chance his former side can go all the way in Europe’s elite competition.

Speaking at the PlayStation Crossover Concept Event, he said: "Of course, I hope Arsenal will do well and I think that they do have a good chance because their type of football may suit the Champions League.

"I always enjoy watching and talking about players with good technique, because for me, that is the most important thing. Now, people in France want to always focus on athleticism and physicality, but football is about how you play with your feet."

How the table finished

Here is how the league phase table finished after a frantic finale -

'What the players deserve'

Brendan Rodgers admits he's proud of the effort his Celtic players have given to get where they are.

He told TNT Sports: "The word that screams at me is pride. The game was right in the balance right through to extra-time. We had a really challenging start being two nil down.

"We started the game well but then we conceded the two goals. Second goal was a brilliant goal. Game was right in the balance until the end. Pride is my initial feeling.

"Spirit was absolutely key. There's no good team that doesn't possess a really strong spirit. We had a couple of moments in the second half where we could've relieved the pressure. It was a great effort."

On the prospect of meeting either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, he added: "It's what the players deserve for what they've given over the course of the eight games.

"For us to be in the position is great for them. Us and the supporters can enjoy what we've done."

Arne in perfect position for trophies

Nobody predicted that Liverpool would be so dominant this campaign after losing manager Jurgen Klopp.

Arne Slot has come in and just continued the great work the German had been doing and it is all going according to plan.

We are at the stage now where sides look to regroup and begin their push for the business end of the season.

The Reds sit top of the Premier League and matched that by finishing top of the pile in the new Champions League format also.

Slot's side can achieve big things season, the sky's the limit for the Anfiield outfit.

'Today is not the day'

Unai Emery was quizzed on Jhon Duran's seemingly imminent exit from the club, telling TNT Sports: "Tomorrow or Friday we can talk about the transfer, or maybe next week, until everything is done I don't want to speak, because in football everything can happen.

"The club is working and trying to compete in the transfer window because we need some players. Some can leave, but it is not time to speak about it."

Questions then followed on Ollie Watkins, who was the subject of a reported bid earlier today. Again, Emery batted the question away, adding: "I know you want to ask about it, but I told you, today is not the day."

Play-offs provide some big games

With the new format in the Champions League, we have seen a lot of Europe's heavyweights have to settle for the play-offs.

There are some massive fixtures lying ahead which should provide some classic European clashes.

Both Man City and Celtic will be hoping they can perform at their highest levels to book their places in the last 16.

Round of 16 - how that looks

And for the top eight, here's who they could face when seeded sides in the round of 16.

Some incredible ties there, including the possibility of Man City facing Atletico Madrid if overcoming Real or Bayern!

Last 16

• Liverpool vs PSG/Benfica/AS Monaco/Brest
• Barcelona vs PSG/Benfica/AS Monaco/Brest
• Arsenal vs AC Milan/PSV Eindhoven/Feyenoord/Juventus
• Inter Milan vs AC Milan/PSV Eindhoven/Feyenoord/Juventus
• Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid/Bayern Munich/Celtic/Man City
• Bayer Leverkusen vs Real Madrid/Bayern Munich/Celtic/Man City
• Lille vs Atalanta/Borussia Dortmund/Sporting Lisbon/Club Brugge
• Aston Villa vs Atalanta/Borussia Dortmund/Sporting Lisbon/Club Brugge

Gunners keeping dream alive

The one thing that always haunts Arsenal is that despite all their success as a club, they have never won a major European trophy.

Arteta knew the goal was to finish in the top eight to avoid the potential banana skin of a play-off and it is mission accomplished.

There will be a lot harder games ahead but as the old cliche says, you've got to in it to win it.

Whether they have enough quality to go all the way remains to be seen but they have made it to the last 16.

Play off permutations

Here's how the next stage looks for every team in the play off round.

Hopefully it doesn't leave you with a sore head like mine.

Play-off round

• Atalanta vs Sporting Lisbon/Club Brugge
• Borussia Dortmund vs Sporting Lisbon/Club Brugge
• Real Madrid vs Celtic/Man City
• Bayern Munich vs Celtic/Man City
• AC Milan vs Feyenoord/Juventus
• PSV vs Feyenoord/Juventus
• PSG vs AS Monaco/Brest
• Benfica vs AS Monaco/Brest
• Feyenoord vs AC Milan/PSV
• Juventus vs AC Milan/PSV
• Celtic vs Bayern Munich/Real Madrid
• Manchester City vs Bayern Munich/Real Madrid
• Sporting Lisbon vs Atalanta/Borussia Dortmund
• Club Brugge vs Atalanta/Borussia Dortmund

Scots with something to celebrate

Despite going down to defeat at Villa Park this evening, we cannot overlook their making the play-offs.

All too often the Scottish teams have found the Champions League too much of a step up and fallen at the first hurdle.

Brendan Rodgers has given their fans something that has been lacking all too often as they finally progress.

They will face a tricky play-off to try and get through to the last 16 but had you offered them that before a game was played, they would have snapped your arm off.

Celtic next opponents

Last week's win over Young Boys secured a play off spot for Brendan Rodgers' men.

It allowed them a free hit at Aston Villa tonight and they went down with credit, given their best three players of a couple of weeks ago were all absent.

And if you'd told them they'd end up beside Manchester City in the table after eight games, they'd have bitten your hand off for it.

Unfortunately for them, City have flopped. That means Celtic will also either get REAL MADRID or BAYERN MUNICH in the play off round.

Two outstanding ties for the club and their supporters.

Madrid and Bayern will probably rather a Celtic Park trip than Etihad....

FT from Graeme Bryce at Villa Park

This was a night Ollie Watkins will never forget as he took centre stage before kick off - and carried on being the main attraction for most of this extraordinary match.

It's hard to believe Watkins wouldn't have got wind of the fact Arsenal had made a £60million bid for him in the run-up to the match - social media being what it is.

If he did it certainly didn't look as if it affected him as he finally put Celtic to the sword on the hour with his first Champions League goal.

The fact he tapped the Villa crest on his chest will leave Villa fans hopeful their hero ius going nowhere.

Even though Watkins fluffed a bizarre penalty minutes later as he skied over from the spot, this was to be his night …. along with hat-trick hero Morgan Rogers

Watkins rounded Kasper Schmeichel to hand Rogers his hat-trick goal on a plate as Villa stormed into the last 16 on an incredible night.

City do it the hard way

Pep Guardiola's side really give him a rough ride at the moment.

After falling behind to Club Brugge, the Spaniard was contemplating the prospect of heading out of Europe.

Whatever he said at the interval seemed to work as his team ran out 3-1 winners at The Etihad.

Guardiola may need a glass of wine or two to unwind after this one.

Aston Villa next opponents

A great night for Aston Villa as they sneak through to the automatic qualification spot - in the FINAL eighth spot.

It looks like they won't have Jhon Duran for that stage. Will they manage to keep Ollie Watkins?

Lots to ponder over the next few days but they've at least guaranteed themselves two less games by finishing in that top eight.

They will be seeded in the round of 16, meaning they'll play the second leg at home to one of these four sides.

• Atalanta
• Dortmund
• Sporting
• Club Brugge

Slot learns more about squad

It was not the perfect end to the league phase for Liverpool as they lost 3-2 to PSV on the road.

Taking a much-changed side to Eindhoven, he may have learnt a lot more about his squad depth this evening.

Despite the defeat, his team finish in top spot in the table and will automatically go through to the last 16.

That said, being ever the competiitor, Slot will not have enjoyed suffering his third defeat as The Reds' manager.

Arsenal next opponents

Tonight's results mean the Gunners are safely into the knockout stages and through in third spot.

They finished only a couple of goals behind Barcelona in the end, having ended level on 19 points from their eight games.

They'll now need to wait for the play off round before they'll see who they face. But they will be seeded and it WILL be one these four sides:

• Milan
• PSV
• Feyenoord
• Juventus

So, who plays who?

We've got all the permutations and what that means.

Club Brugge's players are celebrating on the Etihad pitch, they're absolutely thrilled to have got through in 24th. Skin of their teeth.

City will be celebrating making the play off round too. But they won't like what comes next....