Wenger has faith in Martinez

Champions League Group D

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has every confidence rookie goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez will be up to the challenge of his Champions League debut away to Anderlecht tonight.

With regular Gunners’ number one Wojciech Szczesny suspended and Colombia international David Ospina, bought in the summer from Nice, suffering a recurrence of a thigh problem which will sideline him for up to three months, Wenger has little choice but to put his faith in the 22-year-old.

Although Martinez has made just two Arsenal appearances, Wenger believes spending a loan period in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday last season will have served as good preparation for what awaits at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.

“(I am) extremely confident, because he has experience from Sheffield last year and when he played for us, he did very well. I have no special worry about that,” said Wenger.

“He is two years older now (than his last Arsenal match), has a good experience. He has grown in stature as well.

“We have to make sure we make it as comfortable a night as we can for him, and that is by defending well as a team.”

Midfielder Jack Wilshere insists Martinez has the confidence of the entire squad.

“He is in our dressing room now so we know him well. He is confident and has grown up quite a lot in the last two years. He learned from Sheffield, playing in a tough league, especially as a foreign keeper,” he said.

“We are confident he will be ready.”

Teenager Ryan Huddart, 17, will be on the bench against Anderlecht.

Wenger revealed concern over the recovery plan for Ospina, who suffered the setback when coming on for Szczesny after the Pole was shown a red card during the second half of Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Galatasaray.

“Ospina came to us injured after the World Cup, it took him two months to play again,” said Wenger.

“I had to bring him on against Galatasaray without a warm up and being prepared, so he had a recurrence of that injury.

“It means he is out for two to three months. Now we have to be really careful because it is a recurrence of a thigh injury, which is very difficult. It is a long-term injury.”

One the plus side, England international Calum Chambers will be back in the defence following his one-match suspension on Saturday, when Arsenal needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Danny Welbeck to salvage a 2-2 draw with Hull.

Arsenal are under some extra pressure to return from Belgium with a positive result, having lost 2-0 at Borussia Dortmund on matchday one.

Wenger said: “We have enough experience to know Anderlecht will be a fierce battle, so let’s focus on our performance and if we produce the quality of performance we know we can, then we have a chance to win.”

Despite Arsenal’s injury problems and stuttering form, Anderlecht manager Besnik Hasi feels it would be a “mistake” to underestimate tonight’s opponents.

He said: “It will be a mistake if we are thinking because Arsenal are missing some players and have not been at their top level in their competition, that they will not be difficult opponents tomorrow. That mistake will not happen here.”