No guarantees despite Lehmann return

Jens Lehmann will make his return to the Arsenal side for the first time in almost four months against Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League tomorrow night, but manager Arsene Wenger can offer the veteran German goalkeeper no guarantee over his future.

The 38-year-old has not featured for the Gunners since August 19 at Blackburn when he made a second high-profile error of the then fledgling season.

After suffering an elbow injury while on international duty, the German subsequently saw Manuel Almunia stake his claim for the Arsenal number one jersey.

Lehmann was less than impressed by being left warming the bench on his return to full fitness, declaring the whole saga to be a “humiliation” as speculation continued he was set to leave Emirates Stadium when the transfer window opens in January.

While Wenger has praised the veteran as a “super professional” and maintains the decision to play Lehmann against the Romanians tomorrow was made last month “independent of everything else”, the Arsenal boss stopped short of indicating the German was a firm part of his long-term plans.

Wenger revealed: “Lehmann will start in goal tomorrow.

“His attitude has been fantastic and when you look at this man the one thing you cannot fault is he is a super professional. Jens is an example for everybody.

“For every goalkeeper it is good to practice, but at some stage you need to play at a competitive level. It is not a present. It is to keep him fit and competitive.

“If Jens plays well it does not create a problem. Why should it be a problem if a player plays well? It is a problem if he doesn’t play well.”

Wenger maintained: “For all of us the only target is to do well for the club - and we can only do that if we perform well.

“Jens’ long-term future depends on, when you are 38, what you call a long-term future. We haven’t spoken about that.

“At the moment I expect him to play well tomorrow.”

However, when asked if he expected Lehmann to remain at Arsenal for the second half of the season, Wenger said: “I cannot guarantee [that], like for anybody else.”

Arsenal have several players still on the treatment table, including key midfielders Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini.

However, striker Robin van Persie is set to make a welcome return after being out with a knee problem since October 7, and midfielder Abou Diaby has recovered from a back injury.

“Robin looks okay and will be in the squad tomorrow,” said Wenger.

“I have not made a decision yet whether I will start him or not. But he should play some part.”

With a Barclays Premier League showdown against Chelsea on Sunday, Wenger is in something of a selection quandary ahead of Arsenal’s final Champions League Group H game, which will decide their seeding for the knockout stages.

Following the shock defeat at Middlesbrough which ended their unbeaten domestic run, Wenger indicated he will make some changes with young Dane Nicklas Bendtner set to lead the attack.

He said: “I will rest some players, but I will play a team who is part of my squad.

“However, there is no Carling Cup side. I had one before, but now I feel they are a bit older and all these players have moved upwards now to the first-team squad.

“We have another game on Sunday and there are some players who have played four games on the trot away from home, including Sevilla. Some of them need a little breather.”

Wenger knows his men must put on a performance tomorrow following their below-par display at the Riverside.

“We have lost a game and know we have not been good, so now of course we want to respond,” he said. However, our quality is what we have done in the last six months, not in just one game.

“We know only our own performance is important and not what people say, even more so in the bigger games. My squad is very determined and very strong.

“If you had listened to what people said before the season, we would be 10th or 12th in the league and be out of everything. At the moment we are in everything.

“It is not a coincidence – it is down to the mental strength of my team.”

Wenger, meanwhile, must serve a one-match touchline ban following his sending off in the last game against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

However, the Arsenal manager will take it in his stride.

Wenger said: “I will make my normal preparations with the team as always in our hotel. I will, of course, be separated during the game – but I believe it is not a big handicap.”