England's elite in pole position (0)
- 25 Feb 09, 10:01 PM
The English elite were all handed hazardous assignments in the last 16 of the Champions League - but Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have established a solid platform to move forward into the quarter-finals.
Qualification is still a work in progress for all four, but there is now a clear opportunity for the Premier League to take up half the allocation of places in the last eight of Europe's elite competition.
Liverpool take top honours for an in The Bernabeu, but there was real merit in the work of the rest of the so-called "Big Four" as they once again attempt to place their imprint on the latter stages of the tournament.
Not a goal conceded at home or away and a lead in three out of four ties tells the story of a job well done after the first round of games.
