MARSEILLE: In-form Arsenal face Marseille today wary of the need to hit the ground running in what was just about the toughest Champions League group they could have been given.
The Gunners have won their last five matches in all competitions, and sit in a lofty position at the top of the Premier League after Saturday’s 3-1 win at Sunderland.
That sequence of results, combined with the feel-good factor generated by the arrival of record signing Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid, ensures that confidence is high in Arsene Wenger’s squad just now, even if they continue to be plagued by injuries.
The increasingly pivotal Olivier Giroud should be fit, however, despite picking up a knee knock in the win at Sunderland, and Wenger certainly hopes so after admitting that the France striker “is the player at the moment that would be very difficult to replace.”
“I know Marseille very well, it is a big atmosphere there and an amazing crowd,” Giroud told the Arsenal website.
“I am sure we will fight as we need a first win in the Champions League to start well. We need to be strong. Even though we have a lot of injuries, we have a lot of quality and we need to win this game.”
These clubs met in the group stage two years ago, an Aaron Ramsey goal in injury time securing a 1-0 win for Arsenal at the Stade Velodrome before the clubs drew 0-0 in London.
Amid all the talk about Ozil, who impressed on his debut at the weekend, Ramsey has been Arsenal’s outstanding player in the opening weeks of this season.
The Welshman scored three times in the 5-0 play-off round win over Fenerbahce and was at it again on Saturday, netting a brace. AFP
