Belief the key for Arsenal and Man City in Champions League

English clubs are becoming so cushioned financially that they may be a softer touch in Europe, writes David Shonfield.

It is still too early to write off the performance of English clubs in Europe and in any case it is usually considered polite to wait for a patient to die before performing an autopsy.

Arsenal face a huge task tonight and Manchester City perhaps an even greater challenge tomorrow, even if they are only one goal behind from the first leg.