Wenger looks to his Russian front

ARSENAL boss Arsène Wenger believes Andrey Arshavin is the man to shoot down Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.

“In every big game, he is influential and creates the chances,” said Wenger. “When you look at him, he turns up when it is really needed – not at 4-0, but at 0-0. He is always coming up with something special. He is a player whom you always rely on in a big game like that.

“Arshavin likes the big stage. He can be quiet for 20 minutes, then suddenly turn up with something decisive. That’s what you want from the big players – the big players make you win the big games.”

Arshavin’s recent goals tally is unconvincing – he has scored just once in nine appearances – but there are mitigating circumstances. The 28-year-old has been forced to lead the line in the absence of Robin Van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner and, as Wenger points out, he is always a marked man.

“He is always marked very tight and people do not give him a lot of room,” said Wenger. “Everybody who plays against Arshavin says ‘make sure you mark him tight’.

“But even when he is marked tight in some of the so-called less big games, when you look at the tape afterwards, you always think ‘this movement was good’, or ‘this pass was great’. He always turns up with something special.”

Wenger maintains Arsenal are “loving it” again as they prepare for the visit of United. “Manchester United and Arsenal have had some tough games, and sometimes they were not easy on the physical side, but both teams always tried to play. It was very rarely a boring game, you always thought at the start it would be a great football game, and so you love that.”

Veteran Sol Campbell could be in line for a first appearance at the Emirates after rejoining the club. With striker Eduardo out, Wenger is toying with the idea of having target man Nicklas Bendtner, fit again after groin surgery, lead the attack.