CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS, FIRST LEG/Arsenal v Liverpool:ARSENE WENGER confronted the first of four games which could define Arsenal's season last night by admitting that the next 12 days represented the greatest challenge of his managerial career to date, his side's campaign having reached "the moment of truth".
Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the Emirates this evening for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final, with a league meeting between the sides to come on Saturday. Tuesday's second leg will be followed by what may prove to be a crucial Premiership trip to Manchester United, on April 13th, and Wenger insisted his team could emerge from an awkward dip in form to claim the season's two most significant trophies.
"Going into March and April, if you've done well in the season up to then it's the moment of truth," said the manager.
"You work the whole year for that. This will be the highest challenge for me in my career. The next 12 days will define our season, because I strongly believe that we are still in the championship race. Our next two league games are Liverpool and United, to go with the two Champions League games, so this next period is vital.
"I still think about the European Cup final against Barcelona (in 2006), and I'm not the only one. I think Thierry Henry is still replaying the two chances he had in his mind too.
"But let's make it happen this year. It is the last great objective for me. We're still in it, a cup among the top of the top in Europe, the cream of the cream.
"We know Liverpool have a great record in this competition but, on the day, it'll be about producing a performance. If we do - and I'm convinced we will - we can beat Liverpool, Milan or anybody in the world."
Wenger has been watching videos of the defeat by Barcelona in recent days, reliving the frustration of that evening in Paris when two goals were shipped in the last 14 minutes, and admits he is still "haunted" by the defeat.
The French manager hopes there will be a first European Cup in May to add to the four FA Cups and three league titles that his career in north London has yielded to date, but he will be all too conscious of the disappointment he endured in a tightly packed period a little over a year ago.
Then his side were jettisoned from the FA Cup and Champions League within 12 days of losing the English League Cup, but there is a conviction that lessons have since been learned.
"I want my team to play without any restrictions in these games, with no fear," he said. "Just with the belief that we are a great side and we can achieve what we want. The way we play our football gives me confidence. I believe in my team, in the way we play the game and in our quality.
"You have to keep the strengths of the other team quiet and, at the moment, the people who are finishing the most in Liverpool's team are Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres through the middle.
"These are two teams who have no excuse to be low on confidence - we are in a stronger position now than we were before the Bolton game - and this will be an outstanding game to watch."
Mathieu Flamini will be retained in central midfield, Wenger having received a call from Juventus assuring him that the Italian club are not attempting to sign the France international on a pre-contract agreement.
Progress in talks about a new deal at the Emirates remains sluggish. Wenger will hope that the 24-year-old can be persuaded to remain at a club who still aspire to regaining the Premiership title.
"We believe we can still win the championship," added Arsenal's manager. "You think I've been fighting since the first day of the season in the championship to finish second? I want to finish first. I feel that, recently, we've been very, very unlucky.
"After that victory against Bolton we'll give absolutely everything to come back in the race. What I have learned is that when our backs are to the wall we have extraordinary resources.
"We have the belief and the desire to win the Champions League. Don't count on us to give up now after all we've gone through since the first game of the season and with all the bad luck we've had in the last few games.
"Manchester United have six games to go and four of them are away from home. They must play against us and at Chelsea as well. It will also depend upon how committed teams are to play in every game. Some teams don't have a lot to go for - you could see that in Aston Villa, for example (last Saturday).
"Manchester United have the advantage, but they have a difficult schedule as well. It depends now on the last six games.
"But, for now, it is about the Champions League. We are on the train, and we want to stay on it."
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