Weighing up our fab four's chances

Arsenal are clearly the best team and should progress with either PSV or Panathinaikos. Rosenborg, the Norwegian double winners, are unlikely to be a threat.

Although the incomparable Dennis Bergkamp still refuses to fly, that should be little more than an irritation to a team whose early season form has revealed that sumptuous talents like Cesc Fabregas and Jose Reyes are now ready to reinforce that undisputed quality of Thierry Henry (below), Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires.

If it's true that everything he touches turns to gold, Jose Mourinho could become the first coach to win the European Cup in successive seasons with different clubs. His old club will, of course, have something to say about that though it's quite likely that Chelsea and the holders, Porto, will progress to the last 16.

I suspect, though, that May's final might have been a last hurrah for the Portuguese team while the mood at Stamford Bridge suggests quite the opposite. Perhaps big things are afoot and certainly Mourinho has in Frank Lampard a creative force around which he can build a Champions League challenge.

CSKA, the Moscow club in which Roman Abramovich has a sponsorship interest, knocked Rangers out at the qualifying stage this week and might be dark horses.

Sir Alex Ferguson must have suppressed a big grin when he heard the draw. This is one of the easiest groups and it would be a major shock if United failed to reach the last 16. Fenerbahce, who won their title thanks largely to the goals of Pierre van Hooijdonk, present the biggest threat and United are well aware that recent events involving English and Turkish fans will add a little extra spice.

As French champions, Lyon are not to be underestimated but it's difficult to envisage Paul Scholes, free now from the demands of international football, Ryan Giggs, Ronaldo, Louis Saha and Ruud van Nistelrooy failing to make an impression in the competition's early stages. And, of course, the 1999 champions will have Rio Ferdinand back from his suspension.

Once the dominant force in European football, Liverpool now have to suffer the ignominy of prequalifying. But, having scraped through against Austrian side Graz AK this week when they almost surrendered a 2-0 lead, they will need to improve significantly if they are to survive a difficult group.

Under pressure to show early progress after selling Michael Owen and Danny Murphy, new manager Rafael Benitez believes the fans will welcome £16million reinforcements Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia. We'll see.

While they find their feet, the predatory Harry Kewell (below) may have an important role to play, particularly against Monaco, the beaten finalists last season, and Deportivo La Coruna, an exceptionally talented team knocked out by the eventual winners Porto.