Arsenal bank on attack

It could be that we will do it again because it was quite convincing, Wenger said in a newsletter to fans before the first European meeting between the two English clubs whose rivalry dates back to 115 years.

Wenger said the rule that makes away goals count double in the event of a tie made an adventurous approach essential. At the moment you are encouraged to be very cautious at home but very audacious away from home Wenger said on the Arsenal website.

There is a world of difference between beating relegation-threatened Middlesbrough at home and facing the European champions at Old Trafford,where United will look to extend their record unbeaten Champions League run to 24 matches.

United,who beat Chelsea in last seasons all-English final in Moscow,are bidding to become the first club in the Champions League era to retain the European Cup. Notwithstanding their penalty-shootout loss to Everton in the FA Cup semi-final last week,United have recovered from their recent blip when they lost to Liverpool and Fulham in successive games and are now unbeaten in their last seven matches in regular or extra-time.

Saturdays comeback against Tottenham Hotspur,when they scored five goals in 22 minutes to turn a 2-0 half-time deficit into a 5-2 victory,showed them at their most potent.

The result was achieved without Ryan Giggs,who could return on Wednesday for his 800th appearance for the club 10 years after his famous goal against Arsenal in an FA Cup semi-final replay put Manchester United on course for the treble in 1999. United will be without injured club skipper Gary Neville.