What Man City need to qualify for Champions League knockout stages with play-off reality clear

Manchester City will be hoping to move a step closer to securing qualification to the next stage of the Champions League.

City are preparing to face Feyenoord in their fifth league phase fixture of the competition this season and do so on the back of a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

The loss was a fifth in a row in all competitions, and City will want to end a run of defeats when they host the Eredivisie club at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's side currently have seven points from their first four Champions League matches this season, which leaves City in 10th place in the current standings. That position would be enough for City to qualify for the play-off round of the competition, with the two legs taking place in February.

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City will have ambitions of reaching the top eight of the Champions League, which would see the club skip the play-off round and reach the last-16.

It remains to be seen what exact number of points will be needed to reach the top eight or the top 24, but three points against Feyenoord would be an important start.

As things stand, eighth place is occupied by Aston Villa with nine points, just two ahead of City. A win against Feyenoord would move City to 10 points with three matches left to play.

After facing Feyenoord, City will face Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Club Brugge in their final three fixtures in the Champions League. Wins in each of their last four matches would be enough to qualify for the play-offs and most likely see them climb into the top eight and book a spot in the last-16 stage of the competition.