Manager Arsene Wenger (pictured) is preparing his side for the Champions League first leg tie against Manchester United with the seriousness due such an event. It is probably right to expect a battle-tested starting lineup, with the return of number one goalkeeper Almunia. Almunia was on-hand against Middlesbrough in Premier League action las weekend and, with 107.89 points, now ranks three in our FTBL rating of Premier League goalkeepers.

With uncertainty still surrounding the presence of defender Mikael Silvestre, who sustained an injury in the same Premier League game against Middlesbrough, Wenger has said the Frenchman has a 50% chance of appearing in the starting lineup. The Gunners will also have to make due with the absence of forward Robin van Persie, who is still nursing his own injury. The bulk of the attacking is likely to be bore by Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor and young Theo Walcott.

Adebayor, who led the team rating-wise for a good while before being overtaken by Russian international Andrei Arshavin (166.19 points), currently has a rating of 151.20 points. He could recapture the lead if he can produce a good performance tonight. But a flop could see him out of the list of best forwards of the Premier League all together. The Togolese will have a plank of 20 rating points to beat tonight, which means he will need to score if he wants to retake his top spot back from Arshavin.