Arsenal's winter would be that much more content for beating Juventus at Highbury tonight. Not only would a victory restore plausibility to their Champions League chances, following a sombre defeat by Deportivo in their opening game of the second round, it would also put Arsene Wenger's side in a buoyant mood for a hectic Christmas programme of six Premiership games in 21 days.
As it is, Arsenal appear to have shrugged aside the disappointment of losing 2-0 in La Coruna a fortnight ago, beating Manchester United 3-1 at Highbury four days later and leaving themselves nicely tucked in behind Liverpool at the top of the table following Saturday's smooth, 2-0 win at Ipswich.
Since losing 4-2 to at home to Charlton, Arsenal have recovered much of their composure at the back and are less wasteful up front. Wenger is confident that this renewed combination of defensive stability and attacking precision will overcome a Juventus side that so far this season, in away matches, has drawn more times than it has won or lost.
"We are getting better and stronger all the time," the Arsenal manager declared yesterday, "and this is the occasion to show it. We have a very young team but I truly believe we can beat anybody."
Juventus suffered a trough of poor results in September but are back to something approaching top form and will face Arsenal fresh from last Thursday's impressive 4-0 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen. David Trezeguet scored twice, and his goal in Saturday's 2-0 win against Perugia in the Calcio brought the French striker's total to nine in as many matches and 15 for the season.
This evening's game should emphasise the contrast in Gallic attacking styles between Trezeguet and Arsenal's leading scorer, with 18 goals, Thierry Henry. "Trezeguet is a penalty-box man," Wenger explained, "whereas Henry moves around more.
"To keep Trezeguet quiet you need to cut out his source of supply. With Henry you need to be sharp in all sorts of places because he can start on the halfway line and still score."
Alessandro Del Piero will pose another threat to a relatively inexperienced Arsenal defence, which sees Sol Campbell partner Matthew Upson at centre-back, with Stuart Taylor, the third-choice goalkeeper, keeping his place because of injuries to David Seaman and Richard Wright.
Crucial to the outcome could be the success Arsenal have in keeping track of Pavel Nedved, the skilful and imaginative Czech midfielder whose goal at the weekend was his first since joining Juventus from Lazio.
Between them, Patrick Vieira and Ray Parlour will need to ensure Nedved does not infiltrate space behind Arsenal's midfield.
For some observers Vieira's opponents tonight will be his employers next season, a feeling strengthened by Trezeguet's siren call in the Italian press to "come and join us". Vieira's present contract will be up by then and one would not want to bet on him staying at Highbury.
Wenger regards such speculation as less of a distraction than an annoyance, "because it is saying that Juventus are a bigger club than Arsenal".
Since Marcelo Lippi's team have already had problems proving themselves the equals of Celtic, who in the first round lost 3-2 in Turin to a dodgy penalty and more recently beat Juventus 4-3 at home, Wenger may see his point vindicated tonight.
ARSENAL (probable 4-4-2): Taylor; Lauren, Campbell, Upson, Cole; Ljungberg, Vieira, Parlour, Pires; Henry, Wiltord (or Kanu).
JUVENTUS (probable 4-4-2): Buffon; Birindelli, Thuram, Iulinao (or Montero), Pessotto; Zambrotta, Tudor, Tacchinardi, Nedved; Del Piero,Trezeguet.
Referee: V Melo Pereira (Portugal).
REMAINING FIXTURES - Tonight: Arsenal v Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen v Deportivo. Feb 19th: Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal, Juventus v Deportivo. Feb 27th: Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen, Deportivo v Juventus. Mar 12th: Arsenal v Deportivo, Bayer Leverkusen v Juventus. Mar 20th: Deportivo v Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus v Arsenal.
