Our belief is back - Wenger

Arsene Wenger believes that his side’s dramatic win over Bolton on Saturday has given his players the belief that they can beat Liverpool in the Champions League quarter final first leg on Wednesday.

“It is true to say that we have had a little dip recently, but our victory against Bolton did us a hell of a lot of good because when you continue to play well but not to win, somewhere the confidence suffers,” Wenger said.

“That was very important that we got our confidence back, but as well our mental strength was rewarded because that was what we needed against Bolton.”

Wenger again reiterated the importance of maintaining the Premier League-style tempo in the game, but said that the knockout format presented a unique challenge.

“It will be like a British tie, but a Champions League game for one simple reason – it is a knockout situation,” he said. “Every goal is so vital in a knockout stage. The focus is a bit higher and the intensity is always naturally a bit higher and so I expect it to be a bit different.”

Arsenal knocked Liverpool out of both the FA Cup (3-1) and the Carling Cup (6-3) last season, but Wenger predicts that the visitors to the Emirates Stadium will play a cagey tactical game.

“Liverpool will be in a situation where they will make it tight and play on the break, more than in the Premier League where, even if you concede a goal, you can still continue.”

“We are on the train and we want to stay on it but somebody has to go out,” he said. “We have belief that we can beat anybody in any competition, including Liverpool.”

The appointment of Dutch referee Pieter Vink has provoked concerns that the natural pace of the English game may be suppressed and Wenger empathises with that view.

He said: “There is a bit more intervention on the continent than over here and sometimes the fluency of the British game could go a little bit.

“The referee is not a part of the game that we have any control over, so we will just try to prepare well and get the team to play the game we want to play.”