EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR will be granted swift reinstatement to the Arsenal starting line-up for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool tomorrow with Arsene Wenger confident a timely return to form in the Premier League has generated fresh momentum for his team going into the critical tie.

Wenger had intended to rest Adebayor for Saturday's game at Bolton but introduced the Togo striker after an hour with his side trailing 2-0. The forward duly played his part in the visitors' remarkable comeback to win 3-2 in the final minute, even if he went scoreless and remains with only one goal to his name in six weeks.

Yet that was a first league win since Adebayor netted against Blackburn Rovers on February 11th and it offered hope that Arsenal's title challenge has not stalled.

"We needed the victory because, when you don't win for a while, it plays on your mind," said Wenger, whose side's win over Milan in the last round was their only success in the previous eight games in all competitions. "It was a good way to start what is a period of three difficult games against Liverpool and a match at Manchester United on the back of them. It was very important that we won and it's taken a little bit of weight off the shoulders."

There is also conviction that Liverpool can be swept away at the Emirates. Arsenal have won their last four home games against the Merseysiders, beating Rafael Benitez's side 3-0 in their only visit to date to the Londoners' new home. "It's going to be really tight but we have the quality and I think they will be scared to play against us," added Kolo Toure. "Last season we played them four times and we showed how strong we were. We beat them in three of those games. Now we need to show them that we have continued to improve and are even stronger."

Steven Gerrard sought comfort in Arsenal's fightback against Bolton by claiming it could distract Wenger's team from a single-minded pursuit of the Champions League.

Arsenal remain six points adrift of league leaders Manchester United but, argues Gerrard, their lingering interest in the title race may affect the Gunners' motivation tomorrow night.

"If Arsenal hadn't beaten Bolton, maybe they'd only have had one thing to play for this season and that could have made it more difficult for us," the Liverpool captain said. "But with them still having half a chance in the league, maybe that could distract them a bit."

"Before the draw was made, we'd have been looking to get a team from Europe rather than another from the Premier League," said the England midfielder. "But you get what you are given and to win the European Cup you have to beat the best. When we won it in 2005, we had to beat all the best teams to win it and I'm sure we're going to have to do that again if we want to win it this season. We're a good side in Europe and we're always confident no matter who we come up against."