Standard ready to rise to occasion

Coach László Bölöni insists R. Standard de Liège will not be overawed by the occasion as they travel to UEFA Champions League Group H leaders Arsenal FC needing to win to keep the pressure on second-placed Olympiacos FC. Victory over the Greek champions last time out gave Standard a lifeline and, after impressive performances at both Liverpool FC and Everton FC last season, Bölöni has cause for optimism. "Standard have played well in England before and we hope to continue that," said Bölöni, whose side sit third in the section, two points behind Olympiacos and six off the leaders. As for his opposite number, Arsène Wenger will show no mercy as the Gunners look for the point that would secure their passage to the last 16 for the tenth successive season and help ease the pain of Saturday's Premier League loss to Sunderland AFC.

Arsène Wenger, Arsenal manager
We have a good opportunity this week to qualify for the next round and to win the group. It is important to finish top as you could have a disadvantage in the draw by finishing second. Beating Standard would be the perfect way to respond after the disappointing result at the weekend. How you react to defeat is how you judge a big team. The mood is currently one of disappointment that we lost a game we didn't expect to lose, but we have to remember that Sunderland had one shot on target and scored one goal. When you watch tapes of Standard you think, 'We should beat them,' but they have shown they are a team that has the capacity to raise their game. They did that against us, they did it against Olympiacos and they did it against Alkmaar. They are a team that are always well-focused.

László Bölöni, Standard coach
It is always a great feeling to come to England and play in a football temple such as this one. We are all very happy to play here and it would be nice to be happy when we leave the stadium as well. Standard have played well in England before and we hope to continue that. After what we did against Liverpool, Everton and even Arsenal [a 3-2 defeat] in the first game, I think Arsenal will have a good word for us and show us respect. Unfortunately, I have to leave Jovanović out. He has struggled with injury since the first match against Arsenal, he has not trained properly and he returned from international duty injured. Against Gent [on Saturday] he played almost on one leg. I like the simple way Arsenal play and I greatly admire Arsène Wenger. We must do more than just fight. It is not easy to wage war without the ball. We will be organised and do our utmost to play to our strengths. Our team is very young but I don't think they will be overawed by playing in front of a big crowd in such a big stadium.

Weekend results
21/11/09 Sunderland AFC1-0 Arsenal
(Bent 71)

• Third-placed Arsenal are now eight points behind Chelsea FC after failing to score for the first time this season in their 20th fixture.

• It also ended a run of 13 games unbeaten, including seven in the league, a sequence that yielded 19 points.

21/11/09 KAA Gent2-1 Standard
(Lepoint 42, Čustović 65pen; Cyriac 4)

• Standard goalkeeper Sinan Bolat actually saved Leye Mbaye's initial penalty on 65 minutes, but he was ruled to have moved too early and the retaken spot-kick was converted by Adnan Čustović to leave Standard fourth, ten points off the pace.

Team news
Arsenal
Out: Robin van Persie (ankle), Nicklas Bendtner (groin), Abou Diaby (calf), Johan Djourou (knee), Gaël Clichy (back), Łukasz Fabiański (knee)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Gaël Clichy, Robin van Persie

Standard
Out: Steven Defour (foot), Cédric Collet (broken toe), Mohamed Sarr (hamstring), Igor De Camargo (broken toe), Milan Jovanović (thigh)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Eliaquim Mangala, Ricardo Rocha

Background
• In their last outing, the London side enjoyed a convincing 4-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar to cement their position as group leaders. The same night, Standard's first win in the competition, 2-0 at home to Olympiacos, lifted them off the bottom and left them on four points.

• Standard lost their first four competitive games in England but on their last visit, a 2008/09 UEFA Cup first round tie at Everton, managed a 2-2 draw.

Did you know?
Arsenal's only previous home game with these opponents ended in a 3-0 win. However, the real story of that 1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup second round tie came in the second leg, when the English team triumphed 7-0 to inflict Standard's worst ever result in UEFA club competition.

For more information in the official match press kit, click here.