Arsenal host Scottish Premier League giants Celtic at the Emirates Stadium this coming Wednesday evening for the second leg of their Champions League play-off match, with the Gunners enjoying a two goal advantage from the first leg.
This so-called “Battle of Britain” play-off tie had all the ingredients laid out for a tasty treat, but the first leg at Celtic Park in Glasgow last week turned out anything but. Although it took two rather fortuitous goals for the London side to earn their victory, the Scots never really offered anything in return, bar a couple of half-hearted chances.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was rightly delighted with the way his team coped with the intimidating Celtic Park atmosphere at the start of the match, reducing the Glasgow din to a mere murmur the longer the game progressed.
In the lead up to this coming Wednesday evening’s game, both Arsenal and Celtic enjoyed convincing victories in their domestic league campaigns – Arsenal dispatching Portsmouth 4-1 at the Emirates, while Celtic saw off hapless St. Johnstone 5-2 at Celtic Park. With Arsenal also facing Manchester United in the league next weekend, Arsene Wenger will be sweating over the fitness of captain Cesc Fabregas who failed to return for the second half of the Pompey game due to a hamstring problem.
His participation on Wednesday evening’s game against Celtic is in serious doubt but apart from that the team have no other worries. Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has no injury worries ahead of the game in London.