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Why demand for British wool is unravelling

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It's miles within the greatest carpets, it's miles in harris tweed, and now you may even find it in pinnacle-of-the-range beds; however at £1 a kilo, united kingdom wool hasn't been this reasonably-priced in seven years. 
Most effective 14 months ago, it turned into really worth 30% greater. So why is wool coming down in charge and the way come the cost of that gentle woollen jumper is not coming down as properly? 
In keeping with jo dawson, who has spent 20 years within the wool exchange, there are some of motives which have combined over time. Seeing that sheep make wool come what may also, if wool demand drops, costs can go through quickly if fleeces go unsold. 
Chinese language demand 
Yet what might put insufferable strain on some other enterprise, forcing manufacturers out of enterprise and lifting prices, is viable in british sheep farming. 
It really is due to the fact united kingdom sheep are largely reared for meat - wool is now taken into consideration a by-product. Mr dawson says it's a shame for the reason that it could manipulate moisture, shuns odours, resists fire and grows every 12 months. 
"if a scientist came to us nowadays and stated i've invented this brand-new product referred to as wool then they had get hold of a nobel prize, because it's miles such an superb fibre," he says. 
"however we have grown up with it for so long that most of the people have eventually forgotten approximately it and no longer realised that that is some thing pretty special."call for is the priority, says mr dawson, who's leader executive of h dawson, a bradford-based wool merchant set up by means of his exceptional-grandfather in 1888. 
Currently, call for from china declined after a fashion for ladies's knitted wool coats fizzled out, and due to the fact the chinese marketplace is so huge it has had a large effect. 
But mr dawson is upbeat approximately the fabric due to the fact new uses are emerging. 
Your wool jumper, but, is probably crafted from the fleece of merino sheep, which may also well come from australia. And while the coarser british grades have dropped in charge, merino wool has been spiking. A merino's wool is an awful lot finer than united kingdom breeds, making for garments which are at ease as well as heat. 
High-quality wool 
Nevertheless, for lesley previous, this means precise business. Her merino flock is a rarity in the uk. 
"we used to grow merinos in this u . S . A . 2 hundred years in the past," she says at her farm close to tiverton in devon. 
"but because we had an early industrial revolution, we needed meat for our townspeople and the merinos that existed then were not meat animals. They have been slow-growing and tiny. So our farmers fell again on popular british traditional meat breeds." 
"at the identical time we have been developing our new colony of australia and they desperately needed a product to export again to the UK and make a few cash. So we offloaded our pleasant wool manufacturing to australia," she adds, "and that, essentially, has persevered to this present day."which begs the question, with expenses transferring as they may be, why are not extra united kingdom farmers reversing the trend? 
"i suppose there may be truely ability," says ms previous, noting, but, that wool and meat each require a number of talent. Merinos are commonly smaller than other breeds and do not have as many lambs, which means much less meat. 
For mr dawson the wool service provider, a various uk flock and more difficult, thicker wool, can offer possibilities. 
Conventional uses 
"many of our breeds of sheep had been round for hundreds if not hundreds of years and they've grown to be the way they're now today as a result of that, after which emerge as proof against certain illnesses," he says, which means a shift away from this is "some thing that ought to be absolutely considered very heavily." 
For him, conventional uses such as floor coverings - he is also chairman of the 262-yr-old firm axminster carpets - and more recent opportunities offer the important thing. 
Wool now goes into merchandise as diverse as the mechanical gears for wind generators, bicycle seats and the liner for ties.He has also evolved an insulation fabric to rival down feather fillings for outside coats, using his wool, that's biodegradable in a manner man-made fibres are frequently no longer. 
Wool seats 
In the meantime, in the ancient woollen metropolis of buckfastleigh, hannah and justin floyd have advanced something altogether specific amongst these alternatives - solidwool. 
"it began with us trying to discover new jobs for ourselves, trying to live in devon. So we looked to our town for proposal," says ms floyd, at solidwool's manufacturing unit. 
"we were each playing with wool and have been seeking to use it in a new way, and lesley previous sincerely challenged us and said if you want to start a enterprise the usage of wool and create a few jobs, you're going to need to do something that has no longer been performed earlier than." 
Presentational grey line 
Global exchange 
More from the bbc's collection taking an international attitude on exchange: 
The brand new port looking to fulfil our purchasing obsession 
Are big emblem perfumes dropping their appeal? 
Are those the quality process perks inside the global? 
What it takes to get beyonce on a global tour 
Could you risk jail for a cup of tea? 
Presentational grey line 
'lovely aid' 
Their product is a fibreglass-like cloth, the use of wool because the fibre. It looks like marble and feels like a tough composite. 
The couple are the usage of it to make chairs and tables however other merchandise can be possible, they say. Car interiors and speaker cabinets had been mooted. 
They're the use of wool from herdwick sheep, currently the lowest value british wool at 30-40p a kilogramme. 
"it appears crazy that it is some thing that after had fee," says ms floyd, "and it is now a derivative or a waste product from farming,"

Why demand for British wool is unravelling

It's miles within the greatest carpets, it's miles in harris tweed, and now you may even find it in pinnacle-of-the-range beds; ...

Avocado injuries a thing of the past?

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It seems the onward march of the humble avocado is unstoppable. 
Earlier this month we had news of the hawaiian avocado "as big as my head" vying for a place inside the file books. 
Now marks and spencer is the first supermarket to sell a seedless cocktail avocado - which can help keep away from all those pesky avocado-related accidents. 
"avocado hand" is outwardly the bane of many middle class kitchens, prompting claims that the fruit need to carry caution labels. 
Main plastic general practitioner simon eccles has said he treats about four patients every week at chelsea and westminster sanatorium for knife wounds because of reducing into the fruit. 
However that shouldn't be a trouble with the brand new arrival at the cabinets. 
Cocktail avocados are about 5-to-8 centimetres lengthy, with an edible pores and skin and flesh which m&s describes as "clean and creamy". 
They are grown in spain, and are the end result of unpollinated avocado blossom. 
The fruit is "best to be had all through december, when typically it's miles despatched to a parisian grocery store and bought through chefs to be used in pinnacle-cease eating places. This yr m&s has been able to source a small variety of the avocados solely," the grocery store says. 
Hawaii avocado 'as huge as my head' 
The avocado police shielding mexico's inexperienced gold 
Holy guacamole! Avocado expenses surge 
Last 12 months, m&s introduced us mini and massive avocados. 
And, of direction, the ones folks with lengthy recollections, will remember the fact that it become m&s which first introduced avocados to the United Kingdom public returned in 1968 as an "avocado pear", which humans could consume with custard. 
"charlotte curtis, m&s agronomist, says: "we've had the mini, the large, prepared-sliced and we are now launching the holy grail of avocados - stoneless." 
There are "about" five in a packet weighing 250g and costing £2. A regular avocado costs £1.30 in m&s in the mean time. 
What we don't know is how many of the cocktail variety you may need in your smashed avocado on sourdough toast. 
This is not just any avocado - it's a stoneless avocado. 
So, the proof of the cocktail avocado is, as they are saying, within the consuming. 
It seems like a gherkin, muses one colleague as i geared up myself for the last sacrifice. 
And he's right, it does, however as i chunk into it, it has all of the creaminess of an everyday ripe avocado. 
To begin with, i am now not so positive about the safe to eat skin. It's actually thin sufficient and gentle sufficient - my enamel sink directly via. 
But it appears to detract a chunk from the creaminess - maybe a mild flavor of bitterness that i do not associate with avocado. 
Clearly, though, as i chomp my way down, i get greater used to it. And you could constantly peel it, of direction.

Avocado injuries a thing of the past?

It seems the onward march of the humble avocado is unstoppable. Earlier this month we had news of the hawaiian avocado "as big as ...

China's financial system harbours large risks, says IMF

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Growing ranges of debt pose "big dangers" to china's financial system, consistent with the worldwide monetary fund (imf). 
In its first document for the reason that 2011 on china's resilience to shocks and contagion, the imf stated it nevertheless had worries over imbalances inside the global's 2nd-biggest economic system. 
A pressure test on china's banks determined four-fifths have been susceptible. 
Beijing need to put less emphasis on growth, pork up regulation, and improve banks' budget, the imf stated. 
China's "huge four" banks had ok capital but "large, medium, and city-business banks seem prone", the imf said. 
The stress exams covered banks retaining 171tn yuan ($26tn; £19bn) in overall property, and 27 out of the 33 examined had to raise more finances, in spite of already complying with basel iii regulations on financial institution capitalisation. 
The imf warned in october that china's dependence on debt turned into growing at a "risky tempo". 
The human cost of china's monetary reforms 
China hit by economic rip-off 'epidemic' 
China banks worry north korea sanctions 
China has seen sturdy boom over current years, driven by debt-financed investment and exports. However that allows you to hold high growth rates, and defend jobs and social stability, local governments had extended credit and protected failing groups, the report said. 
China's debt has ballooned and is now equal to 234% of the us of a's overall output, in step with the imf. 
"the obvious primary desires of preventing massive falls in neighborhood jobs and achieving regional boom goals have conflicted with other coverage goals along with financial balance," the record stated. 
The imf stated that authorities had been already taking steps to contain the risks. But the fund stated china ought to regulate its monetary strategy further. 
"we advise the authorities to de-emphasise the gdp" boom, said ratna sahay, deputy director of the imf's economic and capital markets department. 
"implicit ensures to soes [state-owned enterprises] need to be eliminated cautiously and progressively," she said. 
The imf additionally warned against the fast improvement of latest economic products, which it stated could "very hastily emerge as huge and popular and probably a systemic hazard". 
The fund says higher co-ordination amongst supervisors became crucial to include the "grave" dangers posed by way of revolutionary merchandise.

China's financial system harbours large risks, says IMF

Growing ranges of debt pose "big dangers" to china's financial system, consistent with the worldwide monetary fund (imf). ...

General Electric to shed 12,000 jobs

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Popular electric is to cut 12,000 jobs in its electricity enterprise, 18% of the division's global team of workers. 
The united states industrial group expects the "painful but important" job losses to assist shop $1bn next yr as demand for fossil gasoline strength plant life wanes. 
Ge intends to cut 1,100 jobs from its uk strength business, specifically in stafford and rugby. 
Some other place, one-1/3 of the company's swiss personnel and one-6th of german employees are in all likelihood to be hit. 
The discount in jobs is a part of a restructuring by new ge leader government john flannery, who took over in august from his veteran predecessor jeff immelt. 
"conventional energy markets consisting of fuel and coal have softened," the corporation said. 
In october, ge slashed its earnings steering after posting a 5% fall in third-region income to $1.8bn, due to weak buying and selling in its energy and oil and gasoline groups. 
Ge electricity is the agency's largest commercial enterprise, using greater than 55,000 human beings international. 
It makes generators, turbines and different kinds of plant gadget. 
German union leaders denounced the cuts and said they would combat to hold jobs. 
Klaus stein, the consultant of the ig metall union at ge's plant in mannheim, stated the assertion became "neither strategically nor economically justifiable" and served only to maximize short-term earnings for shareholders. 
'simpler and stronger' 
Russell stokes, president and leader executive of ge strength, stated: "this choice became painful however important for ge strength to reply to the disruption in the strength marketplace, that is using extensively decrease volumes in services and products. 
"this plan will make us less complicated and more potent, so we will pressure greater fee for our customers and traders." 
The boss of ge's uk and ireland operations, mark elborne, stated the company remained dedicated to the UK and could stay one of the u . S . A .'s pinnacle 5 industrial agencies. 
He said: "those are not proposals we ever make lightly and we remember that this news can be hard for many human beings. 
"regrettably, we agree with that those modifications are important to make sure that we will continue to be competitive and cozy the future of ge strength inside the united kingdom. 
"we have shared our proposals with employees' representatives nowadays and will now start a session length earlier than any very last choices are made."

General Electric to shed 12,000 jobs

Popular electric is to cut 12,000 jobs in its electricity enterprise, 18% of the division's global team of workers. The united stat...

Hirohito's WW2 memoir bought by Japanese accused holocaust denier

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A memoir by using former japanese emperor hirohito about world battle two has been sold via a japanese general practitioner accused of denying the holocaust and the nanjing massacre. 
Known as the emperor's monologue, the memoir chronicles the slide into struggle till japan's surrender in august 1945. 
Dr katsuya takasu paid $275,000 (£205,000) at an auction in new york. 
He has described auschwitz as a "fabrication" but says he is against nazism. 
In line with the simon wiesenthal middle, mr takasu closing month changed into expelled from the yank academy of cosmetic surgical operation in reaction to his views. 
It claimed his social media posts "violate all norms of decency and monitor a person who is a racist anti-semite and outright lover of nazism".Mr takasu, who often appears on eastern tv, tweeted in 2015 that both the massacre within the chinese language metropolis of nanjing dedicated by way of eastern troops beginning in late 1937 and the nazi demise camp of auschwitz were "fabrications". 
However he additionally said that there has been "absolute confidence" that jews were persecuted by using the nazis and informed reuters news organisation on thursday that his tweets had been deliberately misunderstood. 
"in case you examine all my tweets, i'm truly towards nazism. But i do pretty examine the first rate medicine of that era," he said. 
Japan health care professional rewards nigeria's medallists 
Scarred with the aid of history: the rape of nanjing 
The memoir he purchased is assumed to had been cautiously written to absolve the god-like emperor of private obligation for the battle. 
He said he sold it as it carried a message to japan's humans and different royals. 
The notes handwritten by means of an aide to the emperor are idea to had been made on the request of the us after ww2. 
The authentic manuscript changed into offered by way of british auction residence bonhams. It had been expected to fetch between $one hundred,000 and $150,000. 
The reminiscences were dictated by the emperor to several of his aides in 1946, "with the possibly encouragement of douglas macarthur, the very best commander for the allied powers", consistent with bonhams. 
The memoir auctioned is a handwritten reproduction through one of those aides, diplomat terasaki hidenari, who additionally worked as interpreter for the emperor. 
Hirohito's function controversial 
In line with bonhams, the 2 notebooks are the most effective full file of the emperor's spoken memoirs, "and represent a key useful resource" for understanding japanese history. 
In the recollection, emperor hirohito describes himself as having been in a state of affairs wherein he had no preference but to consider cupboard choices. 
He says he feared that opposition to japan's access into the warfare would have plunged the united states of america into a devastating internal conflict. 
The memoir become first posted in 1990 after the emperor's death the previous yr. 
The degree to which emperor hirohito become involved in decision making all through the struggle remains debatable amongst historians. 
Unlike many senior authorities figures he became not tried for struggle crimes after ww2 but persisted to reign over his us of a's re-emergence as an financial powerhouse and an best friend of the west all through the cold war.

Hirohito's WW2 memoir bought by Japanese accused holocaust denier

A memoir by using former japanese emperor hirohito about world battle two has been sold via a japanese general practitioner accused of d...

Australian parliament approves same-sex marriage

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Same-sex marriage becomes legal in australia after a historic bill become surpassed within the residence of representatives. 
An overwhelming majority of mps voted to change the marriage act, eight days after a similarly decisive bring about the senate. 
The vote prompt immediate celebrations in parliament, prompting cheers, applause or even a track. 
The end result brings an end to more than a decade of robust and frequently sour debate on the difficulty. 
"what a day for love, for equality, for appreciate," stated high minister malcolm turnbull. 
"australia has carried out it." 
The legislation sailed through parliament with out amendments after australians overwhelmingly supported the reform in a voluntary countrywide ballot . 
Australia's governor-standard is predicted to approve the invoice inside the coming days, marking its authentic passage into law. 
Australians decisively returned gay marriage 
How the campaign became heated 
'too vintage for all of the fuss' 
Emotional mps hugged each other earlier than supporters in the public gallery began making a song "i am, you're, we're australian".In advance, many supporters had accrued on the lawn outdoor parliament. They included distinguished same-intercourse marriage advocates, which includes former olympic swimmer ian thorpe and local comedian magda szubanski. 
Extra than a hundred mps had spoken at the regulation after it was tabled within the residence of representatives. 
Many senators and mps associated private stories in explaining why they supported the invoice. One mp's speech ended with a marriage concept - a primary for the decrease house.But, different politicians expressed their competition. 
"it is a unique relationship between man and a woman for the functions, if you are so lucky, for bringing children into the arena," deputy high minister barnaby joyce said on thursday. 
Australian senator's tearful speech 
Lawmaker's relief after national vote 
Maintaining up with opinion 
Hywel griffith, bbc information sydney correspondent 
That is a big second for australian politics - the culmination of more than a decade of discussion and indecision. 
For a long term the difficulty of equal-sex marriage changed into seen as too hard and too divisive, and so it turned into hit into the long grass. 
Campaigners watched with frustration as other international locations, now not least neighbouring new zealand, made gay marriage criminal. 
There was a feeling, showed by way of the outcomes of the postal survey, that australia's lawmakers had didn't maintain up with public opinion. 
Present day vote might not give up the controversy, or silence warring parties of equal-intercourse marriage - but it does mark the beginning of a brand new chapter. 
The bill to amend the wedding act turned into first added within the senate ultimate month, right away after a country wide poll showed sixty one.6% of australians favoured exchange.The invoice includes exemptions for registered spiritual celebrants, who can refuse to marry identical-intercourse couples on the premise in their religion. 
A few conservative politicians had sought to extend exemptions to others, inclusive of non-religious celebrants and corporations, however those proposals failed. 
While will the first weddings show up? 
The invoice would require royal assent from governor-popular peter cosgrove, in what is taken into consideration a formality. 
Identical-intercourse couples will then be allowed to register to marry. Like heterosexual couples, they need to wait 30 days after registration earlier than a rite can take area. 
'too old for all of the fuss' 
Become australia's marriage ballot  really worth it? 
United kingdom enables australian couples marry 
Couples who wed remote places, or have already executed so, will mechanically have their marriages regarded in australia. 
Did the talk cause controversy? 
Yes. The countrywide vote, a voluntary postal survey, followed two failed tries by the authorities to maintain a compulsory ballot  that become two times voted down by using the senate. 
Senators who hostile the obligatory vote did no longer necessarily oppose legalisation, however stated the vote would be high-priced and gas hate campaigns. They argued the problem must be placed to a parliamentary vote. 
Many equal-sex marriage advocates levelled the identical grievance on the voluntary vote, which did no longer require legislative approval. 
At some stage in the 8-week survey, both supporters and combatants of equal-intercourse marriage have been accused of bullying and accomplishing misleading campaigns. 
Australia's heated equal-intercourse marriage debate 
The talk protected common claims of vilification, at the same time as former prime minister kevin rudd blamed the survey for an attack on his godson. 
Extra than 12.7 million humans - approximately seventy nine.Five% of eligible citizens - took element within the vote. It brought on jubilant scenes when the end result changed into made public remaining month.

Australian parliament approves same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage becomes legal in australia after a historic bill become surpassed within the residence of representatives. An overwhe...

China claims Indian drone 'invaded airspace in crash'

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An indian drone has "invaded china's airspace and crashed" on its territory, chinese language country media stated. 
Zhang shuili, deputy director of the western theatre combat bureau, stated the incident happened in "current days". He did now not provide an actual region. 
He turned into quoted in xinhua information organisation as saying that india had "violated china's territorial sovereignty". 
The indian army stated the drone were deployed on a schooling task and advanced a technical trouble. 
Indian army spokesperson colonel aman anand advised reporters that they'd lost manage of the drone which then crossed into chinese airspace. They alerted their chinese language opposite numbers quickly after, he delivered. 
The 2 countries saw relations get worse this summer time after they became locked in a dispute over a himalayan plateau. 
What turned into in the back of the china-india border row? 
China 'racist' video on india sparks fury 
China and india now in water 'dispute' 
In comments carried broadly via kingdom media outlets, mr zhang said chinese border forces had performed "verifications" of the drone. 
He added that china expresses "our robust dissatisfaction and competition concerning this count number" and that it might "steadfastly shield the usa's rights and protection". 
Relations between the two countries soured in june when india stated it hostile a chinese try and enlarge a avenue on the doklam/donglang plateau, at the border of china, india and bhutan. 
China and bhutan have competing claims on the plateau, and india supports bhutan's claim. 
After weeks of escalating tensions, including heated rhetoric from both aspects, the stand-off led to august whilst both countries pulled returned their troops. 
The two nations fought a sour conflict over the border in 1962, and disputes remain unresolved in several areas which purpose tensions to rise periodically.

China claims Indian drone 'invaded airspace in crash'

An indian drone has "invaded china's airspace and crashed" on its territory, chinese language country media stated. Zhang...

China coal-to-gas switch delayed to avert heating crisis

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The chinese government has scaled returned its bold plans to remove coal-fired heating for this iciness amid shortage of fuel. 
Beijing had ordered the state's northern provinces to convert from coal to cleanser fuel by using the cease of this yr to reduce pollutants. 
However, in many locations the transition has now not completed or gas substances proved insufficient, 
Millions have reportedly been left with out right heating. 
China's ministry of surroundings had issued a announcement telling the northern regions that have not completed converting to gas or electric powered heating may additionally burn coal, the south china morning publish mentioned. 
"maintaining humans heat in wintry weather need to be the number one principle," the assertion stated. 
One at a time the chinese country wide petroleum corp stated on thursday that the usa would possibly face scarcity of gas if "excessive" bloodless weather hit the usa. 
As part of an bold plan to scale down air pollutants, the authorities commenced a coal-to-gas mission that stretches across 28 provinces within the northern regions. 
Extra than 4 million homes and heaps of factories have already set up gasoline-fired radiators, which has brought about a surge of domestic gasoline costs to report highs for the reason that begin of the iciness heating season in mid-november.

China coal-to-gas switch delayed to avert heating crisis

The chinese government has scaled returned its bold plans to remove coal-fired heating for this iciness amid shortage of fuel. Beijing ...

FA Cup: Brighton v Palace set to be VAR landmark

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Brighton's fa cup 0.33-spherical meeting with crystal palace might be the primary competitive membership fit in england wherein var (video assistant referee) era is used. 
 
The soccer association stated in march that it would trial var inside the fa cup. 
 
Tottenham's domestic tie towards afc wimbledon had been considered as a likely check of the device. 
 
For the first time considering the fact that 2005, a manchester united in shape within the fa cup will not be proven live on television. 
 
The crimson devils, who were remaining surpassed over through broadcasters as one of the televised choices when they met exeter at old trafford 12 years ago, play derby county at home. 
 
The merseyside derby meeting among liverpool and everton at anfield could be live on bbc one on friday, five january, with kick-off at 19:55 gmt. 
 
Best league leicester's trip to either hereford or fleetwood will be live on bbc one on saturday, 6 january with kick-off at 12:forty five gmt. 
 
West ham gets their fa cup campaign under manner at 14:00 gmt away to shrewsbury town on sunday, 7 january on the same channel. 
 
Bbc one wales will show newport county's domestic tie against leeds on sunday. 
 
Var generation is used in three "game-changing" situations; dreams, consequences and immediately red playing cards, and can also flag up cases of unsuitable identification by way of the referee. 
 
It changed into first deployed in an legit fit in the united kingdom for england's goalless draw in a friendly towards germany in november., even though it became now not known as on via the referee. 
 
"the fa has continually been open to trialling new improvements and was heavily worried inside the advancement of aim-line technology before it was delivered," stated the fa's director of professional game members of the family andy ambler. 
 
Ambler brought that using var within the fa cup "similarly demonstrates that even as being the most famous and historical home cup opposition within the global it's also contemporary, progressive and revolutionary". 
 
The device has been tested round the sector for the reason that global soccer association board approved a -year trial in 2016. 
 
When you consider that being used within the membership international cup in december of that year it became also been seen in domestic competitions along with the bundesliga, serie a and fundamental league soccer.

FA Cup: Brighton v Palace set to be VAR landmark

Brighton's fa cup 0.33-spherical meeting with crystal palace might be the primary competitive membership fit in england wherein var ...

Champions League: Five English teams into the knockout stage for the first time

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Most suitable league clubs have created champions league records, with 5 qualifying for the knockout level. 
 
Chelsea, liverpool, manchester town, manchester united and tottenham have all progressed, making england the primary usa to have 5 groups within the competition's remaining 16. 
 
This became additionally the first time the most suitable league had 5 representatives in the institution level, united earning their area by using triumphing the europa league remaining season. 
 
Overall performance of teams from europe's big four leagues 
U . S . P w d l f a gd win % 
England 30 21 6 three eighty 26 +fifty four 70 
Spain 24 eleven 10 three 43 24 +19 45.Eight 
Italy 18 eight four 6 27 22 +5 forty four.Four 
Germany 18 7 3 eight 30 39 zero 38.Eight 
Pay attention to bbc radio 5 live's football daily podcast: 'the optimum league is again' 
Most points and most wins 
 
English aspects were dominant inside the organization tiers. 
 
Tottenham crowned a tough institution h that still included actual madrid and borussia dortmund, finishing on 16 points - greater than every other crew controlled within the group stage. 
 
Liverpool had been the second-maximum scorers, hitting 23 dreams of their six games. Handiest psg (25) controlled extra, and 3 of the top six scorers have been most beneficial league golf equipment.Liverpool, manchester city, manchester united and tottenham all completed pinnacle of their corporations. It's miles the primary time in view that 2006-07 that 4 english groups have completed first in a unmarried group marketing campaign. 
 
And the english golf equipment' collective win percent - 70% - has only been bettered twice - in 2013-14 (english golf equipment with 70.Eight%) and 2014-15 (spanish golf equipment with 70.Eight%).Has any us of a had 5 teams within the champions league earlier than? 
 
Once - spain in 2015-sixteen, while atletico madrid, barcelona, actual madrid and valencia were joined by using europa league winners sevilla. 
 
Barcelona and the 2 madrid clubs received their respective businesses, however valencia and sevilla did not reach the knockout degree. 
 
Barca lost within the region-finals to atletico, who had been beaten within the final by using metropolis competitors actual on consequences.Is this the first time all english clubs have advanced? 
 
No. Because the champions league returned to a one-organization-degree layout in 2003-04, it has occurred seven times in 14 years. 
 
Previous to this season, it last happened in 2013-14, when arsenal, chelsea, manchester city and manchester united all went via.Proper things, typically. 
 
In 5 of the six preceding seasons that each one of the english golf equipment concerned have reached the knockout degree, at the least one has made it to the final. 
 
The only time that did no longer appear changed into in 2013-14, while chelsea were crushed by means of atletico madrid inside the semi-finals. 
 
Occurring to win the competition has proved a little greater intricate. The only triumphs have been in 2004-05 (liverpool) and 2007-08 (manchester united). 
 
Nonetheless, an english facet attaining the final this season would mark tremendous progress after five barren years.Fourteen seasons, seven groups - stats you want to understand 
 
In view that 2003-04, seven special english clubs have appeared inside the champions league organization degrees - arsenal, chelsea, leicester, liverpool, manchester metropolis, manchester united and tottenham. 
In the ones 14 seasons, the groups accomplishing the group ranges have certified for the knockout stage 84% of the time. 
The highlight became 2007-08, with arsenal achieving the quarter-finals, liverpool making it to the semi-finals, and manchester united beating chelsea inside the final. 
The low point was 2012-13, while most effective manchester united and arsenal made the remaining sixteen, and each exited at that level. 
Who could english groups face within the final sixteen? Before any group can start thinking about the very last there is the small rely of getting via the final-sixteen degree. 
 
The draw takes location on monday (eleven:00 gmt), and those are the sides the most suitable league's representatives could face: 
 
Manchester united (group a winners): bayern munich, juventus, sevilla, shakhtar donetsk, porto, actual madrid. 
 
Chelsea (organization c runners-up): paris st-germain, barcelona, besiktas. 
 
Liverpool (organization e winners): basel, bayern munich, juventus, shakhtar donetsk, porto, real madrid 
 
Manchester town (group f winners): basel, bayern munich, juventus, sevilla, porto, real madrid. 
 
Tottenham (institution h winners): basel, bayern munich, juventus, sevilla, shakhtar donetsk, porto. Are the managers assured? 
 
Chelsea boss antonio conte: "with 5 english groups to go through to the subsequent round means the extent of this league could be very excessive. 
 
"bear in mind here this season could be very difficult. You need to play a variety of video games, however while you arrive at the very last level to play for region-finals, semi-finals, the english teams have a lot of games in their legs. 
 
"for that reason i suppose it is able to be difficult to win the champions league." 
 
Liverpool manager jurgen klopp: "we knew if we gained we might pinnacle the group so it is now not the most important surprise however i suppose it is strange this year inside the organization tiers. 
 
"there are a lot of truly robust teams. This yr is quite unique. No longer frequently you may face bayern munich and actual madrid, but juventus and all the others. 
 
"antonio conte stated it - there are not any easy opponents and i don't think all people is satisfied when they get us in the draw. We are able to no longer be glad while we see who we face within the subsequent round, but we are able to be prepared."manchester town boss pep guardiola: "in this sort of state of affairs in the champions league there is lots of communicate approximately the draw and it relies upon how the team arrive in that second, on that day. 
 
"maybe you're desirable nowadays and in february you're a disaster or the other. It will likely be hard, the 3 contenders are hard [Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich] and so are the others however we're going to strive." 
 
Manchester united boss jose mourinho: "after the knockouts, it will likely be just 8. Let's examine. 
 
"we are not candidates [to win the Champions League], a long way from it. There are very effective teams who've top notch enjoy at this level. 
 
"let's see how it is going however now we've got masses of suits in english competitions and we can overlook the champions league for a couple of months." 
 
Tottenham supervisor mauricio pochettino: "it is a exceptional fulfillment for this crew however it is nonetheless a long manner to the final. We want to attend until the stop of february to play again and we want to peer the draw. 
 
"i'm hoping we keep our level however the motivation to play in the excellent opposition inside the international is huge, so of route we're going to try and win every sport and try to cross as far as we will." 
 
Who has the great danger of prevailing it? 
 
Simon gleave, head of sports evaluation at statisticians gracenote: 
 
Of the five english groups who have reached the knockout phase, manchester town have the fine threat of accomplishing the final eight (sixty one.Five%). 
 
Prevailing the institution, as 4 of the english teams have, would possibly seem an advantage but with three of europe's satisfactory five clubs consistent with the euro club index - real madrid, bayern munich and juventus - finishing 2d in their agencies, difficult draws are probable for a few. 
 
Even shakhtar donetsk and sevilla are not clean opponents as they are amongst europe's 17 pleasant groups, in step with our rating. 
 
Previous to the draw, the alternative four english golf equipment all have among a 43% and fifty six% chance of development to the closing eight however those figures may want to change a lot depending on the draw. 
 
The big 5 ecu teams of barcelona, real madrid, bayern munich, paris st-germain and juventus are obviously the ones to avoid, that is in particular bad news for chelsea as they have only 3 feasible warring parties,  of which are barcelona and psg. 
 
Of the most effective league groups, manchester metropolis have the excellent danger of winning the champions league, albeit only 8%. Barcelona are the favourites with about 28% danger of ending the season as champions league winners. 
 
Bbc recreation's leader football creator phil mcnulty assesses every of the foremost league teams' chances of prevailing the champions league.Chelsea's champions league marketing campaign has been a blended bag, with an high-quality win at atletico madrid offset with the aid of the dangerous domestic draw with the la liga facet on tuesday, the loss to roma in rome, and draw with the equal opponents at stamford bridge. 
 
Antonio conte's side have regarded unconvincing and prone at instances but should additionally take delivery of credit for qualifying from a tough organization, albeit inside the second location that leaves them vulnerable to a pairing with giants which includes paris st-germain and barcelona within the closing sixteen. 
 
Chelsea's in-built resilience - as well as international-elegance expertise in the shape of eden risk - have to no longer be below-estimated however, at this stage, and on the contemporary proof, they appearance more like outsiders than a side geared up to do damage because the opposition is going deeper within the knockout stage. 
 
Conte insists the ultimate sixteen holds no fears for chelsea, and while it'd be an positive evaluation to mark them out as contenders to win, beyond history tells us they have to by no means be below-expected.Liverpool's strengths and frailties had been on show for all to look in the course of a set marketing campaign that marks them out as real wildcards for the knockout stage. 
 
Jurgen klopp's facet have proven they are able to produce blistering attacking football and shambolic defence within the space of ninety minutes, especially whilst drawing 2-2 with sevilla at anfield earlier than delivering a 3-zero half-time lead within the return game in spain. 
 
Mo salah, sadio mane, roberto firmino and philippe coutinho can unsettle any opposition left inside the champions league - however look down the alternative end and liverpool possess a defence that can also consider to any crew left. 
 
It is been a extremely good goal haul of 23 in the organization degree - the maximum ever by an english aspect - and the reds were terrifyingly excellent in their 7-zero wins over maribor and spartak moscow. 
 
Anfield is a risky vicinity for absolutely everyone to go once the champions league reaches the final sixteen, and klopp's liverpool may be the exquisite unpredictable as soon as that segment receives beneath way. 
 
Manchester city 
 
 the most reliable league's most likely winners of the champions league based totally on energy of squad, their form and a supervisor in pep guardiola who is aware of what desires to be done to win this competition and a way to do it - even though having lionel messi at barcelona alternatively helped his reason. 
 
Town have cruised thru their group and the four-2 win at napoli become the type of end result and overall performance designed to make their potential champions league combatants sit up straight and take note. 
 
Guardiola's team own a humiliation of attacking riches able to scoring desires in opposition to each person, despite the fact that there remains a question to be spoke back about city's defence against the type of excessive-magnificence competition they are probably to stand while the champions league receives to the pointy end. 
 
Metropolis's exit to an terrific monaco aspect inside the ultimate sixteen last season became arguably the largest disappointment of guardiola's first season as he turned into delivered to etihad stadium with that next level of champions league progress in thoughts. 
 
The symptoms are there that this season will deliver greater pleasure. Metropolis can certainly be ranked amongst potential champions league winners. 
 
Manchester unitedunited's draw may not were the most testing but they got here thru with surprising efficiency and the minimum of fuss to with ease top organization a. 
 
Jose mourinho's crew, usually, are built to preserve a severe champions league campaign and he has been over direction and distance in this opposition earlier than when winning it with porto and inter milan. He has verified revel in in guiding his groups thru the an increasing number of pressurised knockout stages. 
 
United are bodily sturdy, organised in defence and feature a variety of attacking alternatives with a purpose to be strengthened by using the go back of zlatan ibrahimovic to complete match fitness in the coming weeks to add to the chance of talent such as romelu lukaku, marcus rashford, anthony martial and jesse lingard. 
 
At this factor, it's far a stretch to picture united as champions league winners but mourinho is correct to mention no-one will enjoy a -leg meeting with them, particularly with someone with his ecu know-how guiding them. 
 
Tottenham hotspur spurs had been passed arguably the hardest project of the ideal league golf equipment whilst drawn along holders actual madrid and borussia dortmund - however mauricio pochettino's side have accomplished fantastically to top their group. 
 
Their draw at the bernabeu and extremely good three-1 victory towards real at wembley introduced spurs as a actual force inside the champions league. It's far ironic that a group that struggled so badly in the tournament ultimate season has flourished this term even as suffering detached form in the most appropriate league. 
 
Pochettino will wish they're producing the level of overall performance that swept real aside whilst the knockout degree starts. 
 
Spurs are very capable of moving similarly than the closing 16, in particular if dele alli can rediscover his fine shape always along the efficiency of harry kane and christian eriksen.

Champions League: Five English teams into the knockout stage for the first time

Most suitable league clubs have created champions league records, with 5 qualifying for the knockout level. Chelsea, liverpool, manche...