For the Champions League match the crowd had been up for it and were well behind the team, but on Saturday the crowd was quite. There was a reason for that, they were pissed off by Wenger's team selection, and had no belief in it at all. They were right, but clearly Wenger had decided he needed all the firepower he could preserve for the next game. A few had booed at half time, but most, loyal to Wenger, kept sullenly quiet.

I never believed Arsenal could win the league before the game, it was only Wenger who was arguing that. I don't believe it now, even though Man U drew at Boro. Well done Southgate, one of a handful of managers that respects Wenger, and vice versa. If by some miracle Arsenal beat Man U it will be Chelsea that will win the title, so Wenger might as well go for the CL.

However he is becoming a master of the half measure, if he was resting players, and was prepared to throw a win at home, and then rest Fabregas. Instead Fabregas was allowed to exhaust himself, while others had their feet up.

Wenger could have used the game to find out if Eboue can still remember how to play at right back; instead he put the ineffectual Hoyte there, and didn't put Eboue at back until the second half.

The pundits make Liverpool favourites, not unreasonably so, as with Sagna injured Arsenal are leaking like a rusty bucket, and haven't had a clean sheet in the last four games, in fact they have conceded more than one in two of those games. It is, once again, the defence that has become the problem, for few noticed that Nick's goal on Saturday was Arsenal's hundredth this season.

Of course Arsenal are always capable of something special in the CL, ask Real, the two Milan's and Juventus. But as Hansen and co will point out these teams are not defensive minded hoofers. What Liverpool have they will do everything they can to hold. They might try and catch the Gunners cold in the first 15 minutes; but they will defend as much as they feel is required, it's not their priority to make thing easy for Arsenal.

So though it is good news that RvP is back in the squad I would be far more excited if it was Bacary Sagna. Can it be 1-1 yet again? Possibly, but that will mean extra time and even penalties. Whatever the score, this is the only one out of the four matches, between the two clubs, that will be decided one way or another. These marathons are always tedious and boring, but there is always a sting in the tail, by the end of tonight we will know who it is for.

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