European Champions League - Arsenal (2) v Celtic (0):ARSENE WENGER offered up a headline-seeking soundbite yesterday as he addressed the delicate issue of how to prepare his team for two tests that come in quick succession. After tonight's Champions League play-off second-leg against Celtic at the Emirates, in which Arsenal hold a 2-0 aggregate lead, comes the 5.15pm Premier League match at Manchester United on Saturday.

“Celtic is a more important game for the club than Saturday, by far,” said Wenger. “Because against Celtic, you cannot catch back. Even if we drop points against Man United, you can always catch back. You still have 35 games to go. If you miss the Celtic game, you have zero. It is a massive game. It is much bigger than Saturday.”

Wenger does not want his players to consider the job already done against Celtic; one of his favourite sayings to help to maintain focus is that “the next game is the most important”.

If Arsenal had to suffer a 3-0 defeat in either match, everyone at the club would prefer it to come at Old Trafford, however difficult that might be to bear.

Yet for all his rhetoric, Wenger knows he has the chance to strike an early blow against United and, given that little is ever black or white in these matters, part of his thinking for the Celtic tie has involved how he can get the result that he needs while also conserving the energy of as many of his likely starters for Old Trafford as possible.

He is also painfully aware that United do not have the inconvenience of a midweek fixture.

There are problems for the Arsenal manager as he prepares for the trip to Old Trafford.

He has already ruled out the winger Theo Walcott, who is suffering from inflammation to his lower back, and he fears team captain Cesc Fabregas has only a 40 per cent chance of making it as he struggles with hamstring tightness.

Then again, with Fabregas not due to play after the weekend until the following Saturday, for Spain against Belgium, and with his scan having revealed no muscular tear, Wenger pondered: “Why should we give him an extra break? Why should we be over-protective?”

On the subject of Walcott and the forthcoming international games – England play Slovenia in a friendly and Croatia in a World Cup qualifier – Wenger was emphatic. Fabio Capello, the England manager, ought not even to consider calling up Walcott.

“I can’t see a player who has played one half of football since June [against Valencia in pre-season on August 8th] going into vital games for England; there is no way,” he said.

“If he doesn’t play against United, how can he play for England? His scan was fine, he has no hernia but he has pain. We wait until he has no pain.”

England managers tend to observe an unwritten rule that if a player does not play for his club in the game before an international, he is not called up. But, under Fifa rules, Capello could name Walcott in his squad and insist that he reported for a fitness test, at the very least.

Wenger has a number of other casualties – Tomas Rosicky, Samir Nasri, Carlos Vela, Johan Djourou and the goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski – and although he would like to rest players against Celtic, as he did in the Premier League victory over Portsmouth last Saturday, he is expected to keep changes to a minimum.

Robin van Persie appears the most likely to step down, with Eduardo starting in his place, and if Arsenal are comfortable Wenger would then make substitutions around the hour mark. That could mean early exits for Denilson and Andrey Arshavin.

“The top teams have to cope with games coming on top of each other,” said the Celtic manager Tony Mowbray, “and Mr Wenger has a number of options. It’s only when he gets to the end of the season and the huge games, like a Premier League title decider against Man United, that you see his best XI.”

Mowbray believes it is unwise to write Celtic off but admits he is pinning all his hopes on scoring first.

Should Arsenal add a third to the two they scored in the first leg, Mowbray admits the match will effectively be over but he is confident his side will give Wenger some uncomfortable moments.

“It’s a difficult task after the first leg but it’s a game we’re looking forward to. I’ve talked about trying to score the first goal,” said Mowbray.

“In any match the third goal is a very crucial one – it’s either when the game’s put to bed or the team who was 2-0 up get very nervous.

“We’re at half-time in this tie and we need the goal. I don’t think Arsene Wenger will have written us off. He’s way too good at his job to have done that.

“I’m sure he’d like to score the goal so that he can relax.”  - Guardian Service