Wenger: we won’t be fazed

ARSENE WENGER insists his Arsenal players will not be daunted by the prospect of facing a partisan 60,000 crowd at Parkhead tonight.

The Gunners travel to Scotland to face Celtic in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tonight hoping to get a decent result to take back to the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger believes Celtic wide-men Aiden McGeady and Shaun Maloney could be the biggest dangers to Arsenal’s hopes tonight – but has no concerns about the fans who will be roaring them on.

“The atmosphere is always heated in Scotland and we expect that, but at the end of the day it is always 11 versus 11 on the pitch and that is what matters,” said the Frenchman.

“We have been all over Europe to very heated places and we know by experience all that matters is how well way we play.

“We don’t go into this game with fear. We go with respect for Celtic, but we know it is a very important game for us and we want to come home with a positive result.

“I always prepare my team first with determination and not with fear. We have played everywhere and have good experience in the Champions League. But every game is different and we know what we will face – a very determined Celtic team with quality.

“If we play well we can keep the atmosphere low-key and that is all down to our performance.”

He added: “McGeady looks to have all the ingredients.

“But then Maloney has come back here and when we played against Aston Villa he was always a good player – and dangerous.

“I believe that their two flanks in the last game were very dangerous and you could see that when they played against the Russian team (Dinamo Moscow).’’

Wenger’s opposite number Tony Mowbray has denied victory is essential against Arsenal if the Bhoys are to beat the Gunners.

The Londoners’ tag of favourites for the play-off tie was reinforced at the weekend when they thrashed Everton 6-1 in their Barclays Premier League opener at Goodison Park. However, the Celtic boss is buoyed by own side’s 3-1 opening day win at Aberdeen in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

And he pointed to the previous qualifier against Dinamo Moscow when they lost 1-0 at home before winning the second leg 2-0 in Moscow, as evidence against the traditional theory that sides must win their home games in Europe.

“In an ideal world we would like to be in a position where Arsenal have got to try and score a goal at home,’’ Mowbray said. “But at this level it is a very tactical affair, so we don’t need to be in a winning position after the first game.

“We lost the first game here against a very good Moscow side and managed to win the away game.”

Celtic striker Scott McDonald believes beating the Gunners would equal their recent achievement of qualifying for the last 16 of the competition twice.

The Bhoys qualified for the last 16 of the competition two years in succession under former boss Gordon Strachan – and the Australian international believes that feat is comparable to overcoming the odds against Arsenal to make the group stages.

McDonald, however, believes Celtic have to take a lead down to the Emirates for the second leg.

The striker explained: “Of course, we know it’s going to be tough but if we were to qualify, this would be right up there with getting to the last 16 of the Champions League.

“But we know we need a win – something we can take down there to make them work at the Emirates.

“We all know Arsenal are very good, but we need to be tight on them. There’s a big carrot dangling here for us. We will have 58,000 of our fans roaring us on. They can give us that extra lift that can take us over that line.”

Arsenal have injury doubts over Bacary Sagna, Cesc Fabregas and Denilson for tonight’s match.

Sagna took a knock in Saturday’s rout of Everton while Denilson (groin) and Fabregas (hamstring) will also be assessed today although Gunners boss Arsene Wenger believes the Spaniard has a better than 50-50 chance of playing.

Glenn Loovens and Maloney are doubts for Celtic. The Dutch defender was replaced after 50 minutes of Saturday‘s Clydesdale Bank Premier League win at Aberdeen with a niggling knee injury while Maloney limped off near the end with a knock and both will be assessed tomorrow after training today.

Gary Caldwell will return to the Bhoys defence after being suspended for the trip to Aberdeen at the weekend.