Crunch time for UEFA hopefuls

Celtic coach Wim Jansen has been around football long enough to understand that supporters are now well versed in managerial double speak. UEFA CUP So when Jansen says of tonight's UEFA Cup first-round, second-leg tie against Liverpool at Anfield: "It will be very difficult but we will go there with a positive attitude," it could be that he fears the worst.

The Anfield side have been somewhat schizophrenic of late, calling into question their status as overwhelming favourites.

"We must concentrate fully for the entire game," said Liverpool manager Roy Evans yesterday. "Some of our football in the first leg was terrific but, sadly, that was offset by the way in which we allowed Celtic to come back into things."

Meanwhile, the Celtic injury list continues to grow. Having already lost Regi Blinker and Stephane Mahe to injury, and the captain Tommy Boyd to suspension, Jansen fears he could be without two more influential players this evening.

Andreas Thom and Morten Wieghorst were injured in the weekend win over Dundee United at Tannadice and both may be required to negotiate afternoon fitness tests. For Liverpool, Rob Jones may come back after injury.

After their shy and retiring performance in Greece, Arsenal must show tonight that home is where the heart is.

To overcome PAOK Salonika's 10 advantage it is imperative that the Premiership leaders produce a more stirring evening's work at Highbury than they managed in the first leg. "We didn't underestimate them over there," said the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, "we just didn't play well enough and were not committed enough and their side was much stronger than everyone thought in England. it will be a very tough game at Highbury."

Arsenal must score at least twice to go through, and avoid conceding an away goal. To that end Wenger will be as relieved as Ian Wright to have Dennis Bergkamp back in the side. the Dutchman missed the first leg because of his refusal to travel by plane, but in all other respects he is flying at the moment and his vision and ingenuity were missed in Greece.

He, Steve Bould, Ray Parlour and Marc Overmars have slight knocks but should be all right on the night.

In other UEFA Cup matches, Rangers entertain Strasbourg, who inflicted a 2-1 defeat on the Scottish side in France, Aston Villa take on Bordeaux at Villa Park after their goalless draw at Parc Lescures and Leicester, perhaps with the best chance of the three, take a precious away goal from their 2-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid home to Filbert Street.