Houllier backs Arsenal challenge

News round-up: Gerard Houllier has backed Arsenal to claim their first European Cup in May having been hugely impressed by the Londoners' scintillating performance in dismantling Juventus.

The former Liverpool manager will take his Lyon side to Milan next week with their quarter-final tie goalless and, while he remains confident of progress into the last four for the first time, he has earmarked Arsenal as potential champions. Indeed, of the four quarter-finals, Arsene Wenger's side are the only team to boast a convincing advantage entering the second leg following their 2-0 victory against the Italians at Highbury on Tuesday.

"The first game of a tie is always the most important of the two, I've always said that," said Houllier. "In truth, playing like that, they (Arsenal) are certainly in a good position to reach the last four for the first time and, if they maintain it, to win the final as well . . . I was really impressed with what I saw and it was probably the best game I have seen in a long time. It was a great performance from Arsenal in terms of their tempo and technical movement. It was almost a complete performance."

Houllier has long prioritised a competition which eluded him during his six years at Liverpool and, despite failing to pierce Milan's defence at Stade Gerland, he is confident the Italians can be breached in the return.

"We have scored in all but one of our away games in the Champions League and le Championnat this season so we know what we can achieve," he added. "We gave Milan too much respect early on in the home leg, but we can play much better, particularly in attack, and we will."

Meanwhile, Bolton have signed a pre-contract with the Israel international Idan Tal, who will join the club on July 1st after turning down a contract extension with Maccabi Haifa. The 31-year-old midfielder has agreed a three-year contract to return to England after leaving Everton for Rayo Vallecano in 2002. He stayed for two seasons at Goodison Park and made 33 appearances.

"Idan will add extra attacking flair to a midfield that already contains quality," said Bolton's manager Sam Allardyce. "He reminds me of West Ham's Yossi Benayoun and if he makes a similar impact on the Premier League as Benayoun and our own Tal Ben Haim have then we will have some player at our disposal."

Martin Jol admits it would be "horrible" if Tottenham Hotspur were denied the chance to play in the Champions League because Arsenal win the European Cup.

The European Cup winners are guaranteed a berth in next season's Champions League, and an Arsenal triumph would relegate Spurs to the Uefa Cup even if they retain fourth spot in the Premiership because England is entitled to a maximum of four places in the club competition.

Jol believes Tottenham will have to win at least four of their final seven games to hold on to fourth spot, which should offer a Champions League qualifier, amid challenges from Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal and Bolton Wanderers. "I thought six weeks ago that probably we needed six wins but that would mean another three wins now and I feel that is not enough," the head coach said yesterday. "Maybe we have to win all the games. Arsenal are capable of winning against Real Madrid and Juve and if they win the Champions League we are out of it anyway so I don't want to think about that.

"I want to focus on our performance, character, ambition and we have to wait and see. It would be horrible if we miss out on Champions League because Arsenal win the Champions League but Arsenal could win a lot of games and, if they win all their (Premiership) games, I think we will have a problem with all the matches we have got: against Bolton, Arsenal away, which could be the decider."

Jol remains hopeful of signing Mido on a long-term deal but revealed a disparity between what the striker wants and what the club are offering on a new contract. Mido's agent Mino Raiola, who also acts for Jol, has claimed other clubs have overtaken Spurs in the race to buy the Egyptian from Roma. "We are talking with him and I appreciate he's got the right to talk to other clubs as well because he's on loan," Jol said. "I still feel he wants to stay here and he likes it here, so it's a matter of negotiating."