Educated Gunners can end frustration

The Gunners were less than five minutes from reaching the semi-finals when a contentious Steven Gerrard penalty and a last-gasp Ryan Babel strike ended their hopes.

European competition returns to the top of the agenda tonight and could easily be perceived a welcome distraction given the current malaise engulfing their Premier League campaign.

And French defender Sagna claims Arsenal must put their domestic travails - four straight League draws and one goal - behind them in their first knockout round, first-leg clash against last season's Serie A runners-up.

Sagna, who missed the game at Anfield through injury, said: "Losing at Liverpool was very disappointing. Now we have to be wiser. We must not make the same mistakes.

"We know that when we play our own football we can be dangerous and win important games like this. We know we can go far in this Champions League and we will try to do it."

Such is the sizeable task ahead of Arsenal in the battle for fourth place, it could be argued that winning the Champions League represents a more viable and realistic avenue to guarantee elite European football at Emirates Stadium next season.

Chelsea's win at Aston Villa last weekend meant the top four drifted slightly further into the horizon for Arsene Wenger's misfiring troops with the gap increasing to six points.

Sunderland were the latest side to produce a defensive equation Arsenal's forward line could not solve and they were booed off by some supporters.

"The fans love football and they wish to see their team winning all the time and scoring goals - we understand their frustration," said Sagna.

"But I think we are doing quite well at the moment defensively and we just need to score goals."

Gunners boss Wenger was frustrated by the defensive approach of Ricky Sbragia's side on Saturday and the relief was palpable today as he expressed a belief that a much more open encounter is on the cards.

"You never know but in the Champions League teams have a more positive attitude than the teams in the Premier League," said Wenger.

However, he may not necessarily be right. Roma parked the proverbial bus at Chelsea when losing to a late John Terry goal last October and it is possible enthusiasm for an overtly positive approach will be tempered by losing their last five matches on English soil.

There is no doubt Roma are vulnerable. Eight League defeats suggest as much but one loss in their last nine outings indicates Luciano Spalletti has have improved their early form.

And although Arsenal are unbeaten in 22 matches at home, they have not won a knockout match since Emirates Stadium opened in 2006.

PSV Eindhoven earned a 1-1 draw to win 2-1 on aggregate at this stage two years ago, while AC Milan were held to a 0-0 draw only to lose in the San Siro, before Liverpool's 1-1 draw at last season's quarter-final stage preceded that dramatic second leg at Anfield.

John Arne Riise, who made a late substitute appearance for Rafael Benitez's side that night before joining Roma for £4million last summer, said: "We should not be scared or think the stadium is against us. We must play our own style and if we do that, we are good enough to win."

Much of the build-up to Arsenal's 200th match in European Cup and Champions League history has centred around the impact Francesco Totti will have and he undoubtedly holds the key for the visitors, should he shake off an abductor problem.

Wenger added: "He's not the only player that can be dangerous but he can open a defence with any pass at any moment of the game if you give him the needed freedom."