LONDON: Manchester United can wrap up their spot in the Champions League knockout phase if they can take maximum points off Portugese side Braga on Wednesday.

However, United will have it all to do to take the three points as Braga have beaten English opposition at home in their last four outings.

The hosts also showed they were no pushovers in the two sides meeting last month when they led United 2-0 before losing 3-2 at Old Trafford.

Three straight wins has put Alex Ferguson's three-time champions five points clear at the top of Group H with Romanian outfit CFR Cluj on four points, Braga on three and Turkish giants Galatasaray bringing up the rear with just one point from three matches.

While automatic qualification is the principal objective, winning the group is also a key factor and will mean United play a second-placed team in the second round and also have the return leg at home.

However over the past five years, Braga have yet to concede a goal against English opponents and have chalked up an impressive list of scalps that include Liverpool, Arsenal, Birmingham City and Portsmouth.

United come into the game on a high after a dominant performance in a 2-1 win over Arsenal in their last Premier League outing which saw the 19-time English champions return to their familiar perch at the top of the domestic table.

Ferguson has also been boosted by the return of Scotland international Darren Fletcher who has been able to play despite taking heavy medication for the bowel disease that threatened to end his career.

Coach Jose Peseiro is in his first season in charge after the club's run to the 2011 Europa League when they were beaten 1-0 by Porto under the leadership of Domingos Paciencia. They are also in good form and are coming off a 3-1 home win over Gil Vicente which leaves them third in the table and three points off the lead.

United travel to Galatasaray for their penultimate group match before finishing at home against Cluj while Braga travel to Romania on matchday five and end their first round campaign at home to Galatasaray on December 5.

CELTIC BRACED FOR BARCELONA

Celtic host Barcelona in a glamour Champions League tie at Parkhead with both sides carrying lengthy injury lists.

Barcelona could seal their spot in the last-16 of the competition if they can claim victory against the 'Hoops' in the second of their Group G doubleheader.

The Catalan giants arrive in Glasgow at the top of La Liga after a club-record start of nine wins and a draw in their first 10 matches and lead the pool by five points from Celtic with three wins out of three in Europe's elite club competition.

However, they are facing a defensive crisis with Adriano the latest to join an ever-growing injury list after he hobbled out of their 3-1 victory over Celta Vigo on Saturday.

The Brazilian defender hurt a muscle in his right leg after scoring the opening goal and will be sidelined for three weeks, dealing another blow to an already thin back-line.

Adriano joins Barca captain Carles Puyol, Eric Abidal and Thiago Alcantara on the club's list of injured defenders.

One player who may yet feature, however, is Spanish international Gerard Pique who has not played since suffering a foot injury against Spartak Moscow in September.

The Celtic manager hopes to have Hooper and Samaras back in contention for the Barca match.

BAYERN IN PRIME FORM

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has said the Bavarians are hitting top form ahead of their Champions League clash against French side Lille with all to play for in Group F for the Germans.

Bayern, BATE Borisov of Belarus and Valencia are all locked on six points at the top of the group while Lille are bottom with three defeats.

Having lost at Borisov in their second match, Bayern ground out a 1-0 victory at Lille a fortnight ago thanks to a Thomas Mueller penalty.

Ribery was in superb form in Saturday's 3-0 win at Hamburg in the Bundesliga as he created two of the goals which saw Munich open a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said he was impressed with his team's response having lost 2-1 to Bayer Leverkusen in the league a fortnight ago.

Lille have won just one of their last 12 European games away from home with seven defeats and kept just one clean sheet in their last 14 European away matches.

They have never scored in Germany and have lost their last three fixtures with Bundesliga sides dating back over the last decade.

TRAPDOOR LOOMS FOR CHELSEA

After one of their most difficult weeks in recent memory, Chelsea host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions knowing defeat could send their season cartwheeling towards catastrophe.

The Blues had been cruising prior to the 2-1 loss at Shakhtar in their previous outing in Group E two weeks ago, but they have now won just one of their last four games in all competitions.

Another loss on Wednesday, and Roberto Di Matteo's side will find themselves confronted by the very real prospect of becoming the first defending champions to fall in the Champions League group phase.

Added to the controversy swirling around Stamford Bridge after the club accused referee Mark Clattenburg of racially abusing midfielder John Mikel Obi, these are delicate days for the European champions.

With Juventus expected to take three points at home to Nordsjaelland in the other group encounter, Chelsea must prevail against Shakhtar if they are to avoid getting cut adrift.

Di Matteo also has concerns over centre-back David Luiz, who missed the match at the Liberty Stadium due to an ankle problem.

John Terry is expected to return to the starting line-up, however, having now completed his four-match domestic ban for racially abusing Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand, and Di Matteo admits that he has been missed.