The bookmakers have made Chelsea their clear favorite to win Champions League after they came from behind twice to hold Barcelona 2-2 in the group stages. Click here to find out!

Group G

FC Copenhagen know they have to take something from the visit of Manchester United to keep alive their slender chances of progress from Group F.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger believes tonight’s encounter against CSKA Moscow will be pivotal to the eventual outcome of Group G.

“It’s the decisive moment because if we win the game we will nearly be qualified, but not mathematically no matter what happens,” Wenger said.

“We want to keep winning our home games in the Champions League like we did in a great way against Porto.”

Arsenal beat Porto 2-0 to take control of the group, then lost top spot to CSKA following a 1-0 defeat in Moscow.

“They gave us a problem in Moscow that they’ll give us again tomorrow,” Wenger said. “They defended very well, were very aggressive, very well organised and played on the break.”

Wenger’s welcomes back Philippe Senderos and Gaël Clichy, but their return is offset by the possible loss of Justin Hoyte.

CSKA coach Valeri Gazzaev’s main concern is whether to deploy Vágner Love or Ivica Oli? in front of the Daniel Carvalho, scorer of the only goal between the two sides in Moscow. Love missed Saturday’s trip to FC Rostov because of a muscle strain and, in his absence, Oli? scored both goals in the 2-1 victory.

“We don’t know Love’s position yet,” Gazzaev said. “He was OK in training and we’ll take a decision on him tomorrow.”

Gazzaev is confident that CSKA can secure a result tonight to keep them atop the group.

“We can improve,” he said. “The goal is to win today, but the ultimate aim is to still be top of the group after the match.”

Probable teams
Arsenal:
Jens Lehmann; Johan Djourou, Kolo Touré, William Gallas, Gaël Clichy; Aleksandr Hleb, Gilberto, Cesc Fabregas, Tomáš Rosický; Robin van Persie, Thierry Henry.
CSKA:
Igor Akinfeev; Vasili Berezutskiy, Sergei Ignashevich, Aleksei Berezutskiy; Yuri Zhirkov, Evgeni Aldonin, Elvir Rahimi?, Dudu, Deividas Šemberas; Daniel Carvalho, Ivica Oli?/Vágner Love.


The bookmakers have made Chelsea their clear favorite to win Champions League after they came from behind twice to hold Barcelona 2-2 in the group stages. Click here to find out!