Fate has dealt a benign hand to Manchester United in the first group phase of the Champions League but has left Arsenal and Rangers in danger of being out-trumped while Chelsea will have to play their cards with extra care.

Having defeated Inter Milan and Juventus to reach last season's final, where they beat Bayern Munich in a mind-numbing finish, United's immediate task is unlikely to prey on Old Trafford's nerves.

Their opponents are Ossie Ardiles's Croatia Zagreb, against whom they begin their defence of the trophy at home on September 14th, Sturm Graz, the Austrian champions, and Marseille, who finished second in the French league. The two encounters with Marseille look like being the most crucial games.

Having flopped last season, when they failed to get beyond the group phase, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side now have to get past Barcelona and Fiorentina with AIK Stockholm, their first opponents at Wembley, hardly a wild card to be ignored.

"I would agree that this is the hardest group," Wenger said. "We are going to have three hard matches."

Chelsea have decided against switching their home matches to Wembley and will need the full-throated backing of Stamford Bridge to help them negotiate a tricky route past AC Milan, Galatasaray and Hertha Berlin. Milan, Marcel Desailly's previous club, will be their first opponents at the Bridge on September 15th.

Rangers' joy at reaching the Champions League proper will have been somewhat diluted by the prospect of having to see off Bayern Munich, PSV Eindhoven and Valencia, all clubs with proven European track records.

Under the new system the top two teams in each of the eight groups will form four groups of four in the second round while those finishing third will go into the third round of the UEFA CUP.