Newcastle and Chelsea not to slip up in crucial Champions League ties - 'Winner takes all', TNT Sports' Ally McCoist warns

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TNT Sports football expert Ally McCoist thinks that both Newcastle and Chelsea need to be careful they are not left regretting their performances against Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli, respectively, in midweek in their Champions League ties. McCoist also thinks that Arsenal will be hoping to make it eight wins from eight when they come up against Kairat.

'It's winner takes all' - McCoist weighs up English team's chances in Champions League qualification

Video credit: TNT Sports

Ally McCoist believes Chelsea have the "toughest" Champions League fixture next week in a crucial tie against Napoli.

The Londoners will face their former manager Antonio Conte in Italy on Wednesday, January 28, live on TNT Sports and discovery+

Napoli are in 25th spot on eight points, outside the top 24 on goal difference. Chelsea sit in the top eight, but five teams behind them are all level on 13 points. Another five teams are also within three points of the Blues going into the final round of the league format stage.

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Speaking on TNT Sports, McCoist reflected on a decent campaign for Chelsea so far, guided by new manager Liam Rosenior of late, but said that the stakes are high given the fine margins at the top.

He explained: "Napoli need a result at this moment of time because they’re out of the qualifying group, so they at home will be obviously well geared up. Chelsea are having a good campaign, but do you know something? They have got to get a result.

"It’s another of these situations where you can go over there and get a reasonable result, and not qualify for the top eight. So there are some brilliant fixtures.

"Chelsea, looking at the fixtures, I’d guess they’ve got the toughest of the fixtures."

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Arsenal have already qualified with seven wins from seven so far, and they will play Kairat, who are bottom with just one point.

McCoist thinks Mikel Arteta's men will still hope to maintain their 100% record, but might not risk all their senior players in what is essentially a dead rubber.

"They’ve been brilliant," he began. "Do you know something? There will be a strong element of professional pride in wanting to do that, because it will be in itself an achievement. That said, the whole objective is to finish in the top eight to give yourself a little bit of a break and give yourself two games off, if you like.

"So they’ve earned themselves three games off, so I’d be staggered if he doesn’t put a weakened side in the final game, because they’ve earned their stripes so far, in terms of qualification."

Newcastle also have 13 points and sit one place above Chelsea, and directly above Eddie Howe's side are Paris Saint-Germain, who have 13 points as well.

Newcastle travel to the French capital with neither side assured of going through to the next round.

Again, McCoist cautioned that even a superficially good result might not be enough to ensure Newcastle get into the knockout stages.

"It’s a great game, a fantastic one, that one in Paris," he said. "Newcastle are coming off a wonderful result in midweek, but its one of these situations where you look behind you, and Newcastle could end up going to Paris, getting in normal circumstances, an excellent draw. Which would be an excellent result, but it wouldn’t be good enough.

"So it’s very much winner takes all for the top eight in that particular game."

Stream the Premier League, Men’s and Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+

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