United v. Arsenal

Arsenal face Manchester United in the Champions League for the first time tomorrow. The old, fiery rivalry has diminished into nothing but a slight smolder in recent years.

Thanks to fixture makers though, the matchup has been drenched with gasoline and set ablaze once again.

The two English giants will face each other three times in the next three weeks.

Manchester United are the current champions of England, Europe, and indeed the World, so it has to be said Arsenal are not the favourites here.

I believe that is just the way Wenger's boys will want.

I'm currently watching the fascinating battle between Chelsea and Barcelona as I write this.

It has to be said the difference in the two teams approach to the match is oh so interesting to watch. Tomorrow will be a different story though.

Arsenal and United play a similar attacking style that promises to be a wide open affair.

It's Wenger versus Ferguson, Adebayor versus Vidic, Fabregas versus Ronaldo. It's Arsenal versus Manchester United!

Champions League - Team news and facts: Man Utd v Arsenal

Manchester United's Ryan Giggs is set to make his 800th for the club against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final first leg at Old Trafford.

Giggs, recently voted PFA Player of the Year, was rested for the 5-2 Premier League victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, and could be restored to the starting line-up to face the Gunners.

Should the 35-year-old play then he will captain the side due to the continued absence of club captain Gary Neville, who remains sidelined with a foot injury.

John O'Shea will fill Neville's role at right-back, although fellow defender Wes Brown may return to the squad from injury.

Arsenal will be depleted both in attack and defence for the trip north. Russian forward Andrei Arshavin is cup-tied while Robin van Persie remains out with a groin strain.

However, striker Emmanuel Adebayor and midfielder Abou Diaby should both be available after the pair came off the bench in the 2-0 home win over Middlesbrough at the weekend, with Adebayor likely to play as a lone front man supported by Cesc Fabregas.

At the back William Gallas and Gael Clichy are joined by Mikael Silvestre on the sidelines after the former United defender injured his back against Boro.

That means Johan Djourou will partner Kolo Toure in the heart of the defence, while Bacary Sagna could be return at right-back after being replaced by Emmanuel Eboue at the weekend.

Mexican striker Carlos Vela makes the trip after being told not to attend training on Tuesday over fears about the swine flu outbreak.

Man United v Arsenal preview

Old hostilities have been superseded by grudging respect, but even if there has been no pre-match gnashing of teeth, Manchester United versus Arsenal is a Champions League semi-final to get your incisors into.

Five and a bit years ago, Old Trafford was the scene of Martin Keown’s aggressive taunting of Ruud van Nistelrooy. On Wednesday, it will be the stage of a more exalted exchange – the first ever meeting in European competition of two of English football’s most famous clubs.

An unusually cautious Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken before the game of the importance of his side not conceding an away goal, with the Scot admitting that he would be 'delighted' with a 1-0 win to take into next week's second leg.

As has so often been the case this season, Ferguson’s most vexing concern is at right back. With Gary Neville absent, Ferguson will opt for either the experience of John O’Shea or the raw talent of Rafael da Silva.

Recently-crowned PFA Player of the Year Ryan Giggs, meanwhile, will make his 800th club appearance should he take to the field on Wednesday.

Arsene Wenger, whose selection is already compromised by the absence of Robin van Persie, has a headache at left full back.

Gael Clichy is sidelined and both Keiran Gibbs and Mikael Silvestre are doubts with ankle and back injuries respectively.

Better news for the visitors is that Johan Djourou has been passed fit and will start in central defence alongside Kolo Toure.

Ferguson’s side have never been knocked out of European competition in five ties against English opposition, while Arsenal have faced compatriots four times and not once have they been victorious.

History suggests United will prevail, but Wenger and Ferguson, who now cut dignified and deferential figures after years of embattled belligerence, are proof that history is not necessarily a shackle.

Eurosport - Adebayor targets away goal

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor is focused on silencing the Old Trafford boo-boys with another crucial European away goal.The 25-year-old has shrugged off a hamstring problem and will be fresh to face Champions League holders Manchester United in the semi-final, first leg after starting on the bench for the win over Middlesbrough on Sunday, which saw the Gunners extend their unbeaten league run to 20 matches.

Wenger: Gunners ready to fire

Arsene Wenger has warned Manchester United his Arsenal team are "a different animal" to the side that went out of Europe at the hands of Liverpool last season.

Arsenal face United in Wednesday night's Champions League semi-final first leg at Old Trafford in the knowledge they have twice gone out to English opposition in the knock-out stages of Europe's top club competition - after losing to Chelsea at the quarter-final stage in 2004.

The Arsenal manager said: "The team has matured a lot because I believe they are mentally strong and very determined."

He added: "Maybe, because we have gone through a bad start to the season and a difficult period, it helped the team who is very young to grow. I think this team is a different animal to last year, mentally, especially."

Wenger has some selection worries with Robin van Persie injured and Andrey Arshavin ineligible but it will be in defence where his concerns are greatest. Left-back Kieran Gibbs is a doubt with an ankle problem, as is his likely replacement Mikael Silvestre, who has a back complaint.

With Gael Clichy out of the picture, 18-year-old Gibbs' fitness could prove crucial given he will be up against Cristiano Ronaldo. Wenger's other option would be to switch Bacary Sagna from right-back.

Wenger insisted, however, he would not focus on stopping Ronaldo, saying: "Of course we will try to keep Ronaldo quiet but, if you only focus on him, somebody else will be dangerous.

"You can forget Manchester United have 11 good players all of whom can be a problem to us. Let's just focus on playing well."

European football's top prize has so far eluded manager and club and Wenger has challenged his group of talented young players to finally fulfil their potential.

He said: "This is the moment we have been waiting for.

We have tried to build our team in a different way. It is not better or worse, we have just built a young team because we wanted to develop a special way of playing and a special spirit."

Man Utd v Arsenal

Manchester United will be missing defender Gary Neville for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg.

John O'Shea could be preferred to Rafael Da Silva and fit-again Wes Brown at right-back, while Ryan Giggs will hope to make his 800th club appearance.

Arsenal centre-back Mikael Silvestre (back) is a doubt along with left-back Kieran Gibbs (ankle).
Fellow full-back Gael Clichy and Robin van Persie are both out, while Andrey Arshavin is not eligible to play.

Clichy hopes to return from a back injury in time for the second leg.

"He could be back for the second Manchester United game," said Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. "He has a scan. We'll go from there. He has a chance to be back in full training next week."

Gunners centre-half Johan Djourou is fit again following a knee injury which kept him out of the 3-0 quarter-final second leg victory over Villarreal.

Arsenal striker Carlos Vela, of Mexico, was kept away from training on Monday because of fears over swine flu.

Vela was visited by friends from his homeland where there has been an outbreak of the disease.

Wenger said: "It looked to be a massive problem because we were asked on Monday to keep him at home and not get him to the training ground.

"Now he has the all-clear and on Tuesday he was free again to attend training.

"It was basically down to the fact he had visitors from Mexico, friends who came to visit him last week."

United, by contrast, have the more enviable task of deciding which of their star strikers to include.

Carlos Tevez has not been a first-choice this term, but came on at half-time to help overturn a two-goal deficit against Tottenham last weekend.

In defence, Brown, who has managed just a couple of substitute appearances since injuring his foot in October, trained at Carrington on Tuesday, but could be one of the players who must be omitted from the provisional squad.

Arsenal pin Old Trafford faith on Fabregas

Arsenal are promising an audacious approach against Champions League holders Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday, despite being deprived of two of their most creative players.

Andrei Arshavin is cup-tied and leading scorer Robin van Persie is injured for the semi-final first leg but such is the value of an away goal that Arsene Wenger will consider sticking with Cesc Fabregas in an advanced role to add more bite.

It worked in the Premier League on Sunday, when United boss Alex Ferguson was on hand to see Fabregas score both Arsenal goals in a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough.