Can Gunners do a Liverpool?

AND then there was one. Around this time last year, your correspondent was moved to ponder if Liverpool could turn out to be to the Champions’ League what Greece had been to the European Championships, a team which would confound expectations all the way to the winner’s podium.

To sensitive Merseysiders - are there any other kind? - it might have sounded like a backhanded compliment, but the point was one of attitude rather than style, a simple recognition that Europe’s more inspiring challenges drew from Liverpool a higher level of performance than they were able to deliver in the league. (By the way, I also predicted Liverpool would win the final on penalties after going three behind against AC Milan in the first half but the sports desk killed that column on the grounds it was “just too silly, even for you”).

Now, the question is: are Arsenal set to be this year’s Liverpool? Yesterday’s quarter-finals draw, which pits the Gunners against Juventus, doesn’t change a lot - in the three games it still takes to lift the big prize, you’re going to have to meet and beat the best sooner or later.