Wenger places his faith in Arshavin

The term 'a bit short up front' could have new meaning for Arsenal in tomorrow's match against champions Manchester United at the Emirates.

The Gunners have a crisis in attack with Eduardo and Robin van Persie unavailable, whilst Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott have just recovered from injury.
It leaves the Russian international as the only option to lead the attack, and he himself has been playing through the pain barrier.

But even so, the manager has complete faith in the Russian to come up with something magical tomorrow.

Wenger said: "I am very happy with Arshavin, because in every big game he is influential and creates the chances.

"When you look at him, he turns up when it is really needed - not at 4-0, but at 0-0. He is always coming up with something special.

"He is a player whom you always rely on in a big game like that.

"Arshavin likes the big stage. He can be quiet for 20 minutes, and then suddenly turn up with something decisive. That is what you want from the big players - the big players make you win the big games.

"He is always marked very tight and people do not give him a lot of room.

"Everybody who plays against Arshavin says 'make sure you mark him tight'.

"But even when he is marked tight in some of the so-called less big games, when you look at the tape afterwards, you always think 'this movement was good', or 'this pass was great'.

"He always turns up with something special."