We can beat anyone - Cole

Arsenal defender Ashley Cole insisted that the Gunners’ Champions League victory in Rome had proved they can beat any side in Europe on their day.

Cole admits he was not particularly happy with his own performance in the Olympic Stadium, up against Brazilian captain Cafu.

However, while his attention, like that of his team-mates, is now firmly fixed on Aston Villa’s visit to Highbury tomorrow, the 21-year-old England international revealed his pride in his team’s success against Roma.

“It was tough playing such a great team in front of a hostile crowd but we just set out to play our own game and, if we do that, then we can beat anyone,” he said.

“Hopefully I can learn from that game. It was disappointing for me that Cafu got past me a few times down my flank and I was obviously not happy with the way that I played.

“But the most important thing was that the team got the result we wanted. It was a great result away from home and now we must make sure that we keep on working hard and get good results at home too,” he told the club’s website, www.arsenal.com.

Cole is expected to learn later today whether he will be charged by the Football Association after allegedly making ‘insulting and offensive’ comments to referee Paul Durkin after Arsenal’s defeat at Southampton last weekend.

Arsenal cannot afford another domestic slip after that setback and boss Arsene Wenger must first address a number of injury concerns in defence.

David Seaman missed the Champions League tie with a recurrence of his groin injury, enabling Swedish-born keeper Rami Shaaban to make his third start for the club since his summer signing.

“David just told me to go out there and play my game as I know how to play and I like big games – and this was a big game. I really enjoyed it,” revealed Shaaban.

“I can’t believe how much my life has changed in the past few months. I was often on the bench or not playing in Sweden and now I’ve played in the Olympic Stadium.

“You have to believe in yourself but you also have to keep your feet on the ground. Hopefully I will get a few more games but it will take time and I’m not in a rush.”

Oleg Luzhny came through a late fitness test on a hamstring injury that had threatened to rule him out and it may be that Kolo Toure, who was suspended from European action, will replace him tomorrow.

German teenager Moritz Volz, who made the bench in Rome, will again come under consideration though, with Lauren still expected to be out with an ankle injury.

Ray Parlour and Kanu were also missing through injury in midweek, although Dennis Bergkamp should be ready to return after being rested and Martin Keown is back in contention after hamstring trouble.

Wenger has always maintained that the best way of making progress in the Champions League is to keep the momentum going in the Premiership as well.

His focus was therefore fixed on Villa’s visit as soon as the final whistle sounded in Rome on Wednesday night to conclude a 3-1 win in which Thierry Henry played a starring role with a hat-trick.

As the Arsenal boss put it: “Playing Villa is one very big game for us.”