What happens if teams finish level on points in Champions League? Group stage rules for Man United and Man City explained

The UEFA Champions League will welcome a brand new format from the start of next season, as the traditional model evolves.

But for now, the group stage format remains with Manchester United and Manchester City currently bidding to reach the knockout stages. City have a perfect record after two wins from two but the Reds have work to do after suffering a 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray at Old Trafford to leave them bottom of their group with no points.

That means United fans in particular may need to swat up on the tie-breaker rules for teams level on points with Erik ten Hag's side needing an improvement in form to reach the knockout stages. Here are the rules for the group stage.

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As always, each team will play six fixtures, home and away against the other three teams in their allocated group. The top two teams will progress to the round of 16 while the team who finish in third position will drop into the UEFA Europa League play-off round.

Should teams finish level on points in the group stage then sides are first separated by head-to-head results before overall goal difference comes into play. With United having already lost to Bayern Munich and Galatasaray that could spell trouble for Ten Hag's men.

United have a double-header against Danish side FC Copenhagen in their next Champion League matches before a trip to Turkey to play Galatasaray and a final match against Bayern at Old Trafford. The group stage concludes in December before the knockouts begin in February.