Will mighty Milan make a dunce out of Wenger?

Complimentary copies of a newspaper handed out at the airport had mocked up a photograph of the Frenchman in a dunce's cap.

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Was someone other than Martin O'Neill daring to suggest Wenger is not terribly bright? Is everyone really against them? He could be forgiven for suspecting as much.

For a manager as renowned for his intelligence as his eye for talent, it does all seem rather disrespectful. Especially when Wenger is the one person who predicted his young team would challenge for the major trophies this season and is probably among a minority who still give them a chance at the San Siro on Tuesday evening.

'Up to January I think we were probably the surprise of the season,' said Wenger. 'I always knew we could challenge but in the football environment, no one gave us a chance. No one believed in us.

'Many people have said we are too young, a bit naive. That I should have brought more players in during the summer. But I thought this team was ready and our performances would suggest I was right.

'Along with Inter Milan, we are the only team in Europe to have lost just one League game this season (he's forgotten Bayern Munich, but let's not start that one again). From what some people said, we have already overachieved.'

As Wenger quite rightly said, Arsenal's season can be divided into two stages. The first saw them prove they can perform to the standard their manager demands with the consistency that is required to secure the main prizes.

The second is determining how they cope with the pressure and expectation now that they sit at the top of the Barclays Premier League table and have progressed to the latter stages of the Champions League.

The past fortnight would suggest they are not coping terribly well. Their failure to score, for all the possession they enjoyed, against Milan in the first leg; that distressing 2-2 draw at Birmingham, and with it the sight of William Gallas sitting emotionally drained on the pitch. And then, of course, Saturday's encounter with Aston Villa and the loss of two more precious points.

Wenger dismissed such talk just as he dismissed the idea — put forward, in particular, by Arrigo Sacchi — that such a young side is not yet ready for the seasoned superstars of AC Milan.

Not yet ready for a side who annihilated Manchester United at the San Siro last season, before they beat Liverpool in the Champions League final in Athens.

'No matter what happens, we are as strong as Milan,' insisted Wenger. 'It will be decided on the form of the day but I think it is a hurdle we can overcome. This team will achieve great things.'

Navigate their way past Milan and anything would suddenly appear possible. Lose to a side that have sometimes struggled at home in Serie A this season and even Sunday's Premier League trip to Wigan could suddenly look a touch tricky.

It will not be easy this evening and not just because Milan demonstrated at the Emirates that they are far from finished; that their thirty-something players continue to defy the debilitating effects of ageing.

'We always dream of playing like we did against Manchester United,' said coach Carlo Ancelotti on Monday. 'It's not impossible for us to repeat that against Arsenal.'

The absence of Kolo Toure will concern Arsenal, not least because it leaves the more error-prone Philippe Senderos as partner to Gallas and denies them one of the finest defenders in Europe.

The own goal the Swiss international scored during Saturday's 1-1 draw with Villa will hardly increase his confidence. When faced with the likes of Kaka and Filippo Inzaghi, this could be a concern.

Milan lost Alessandro Nesta to injury in that goalless first leg and his departure did enable Arsenal to attack with more freedom, but the Italian is back and ready to deny the English league leaders that valuable away goal.

For Milan, this game probably carries more importance than it does for Arsenal.

They, after all, are fifth in Serie A and in danger of missing out on a Champions League place unless they win the competition again. Somehow, slip up on Tuesday and the pressure will certainly be on.

Not that there is any less pressure on Arsenal. At Anfield and, indeed, after that enthralling League clash at home to United, Gallas praised his younger colleagues for showing such courage and maturity.

'Today boys have become men,' he said after a 2-2 draw, and at that particular moment it seemed they had.

Now, however, they face a far more daunting task. A task which proved beyond a United side that still went on to lift the Premier League trophy and a Liverpool team who, for all their shortcomings on the domestic stage, have mastered the art of European competition.

Without wishing to join those now doubting Wenger's wisdom, Arsenal will probably struggle here in Milan as well.

AC MILAN (4-3-1-2): Kalac; Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze, Maldini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Kaka; Pato, Gilardino.

ARSENAL (4-4-2): Almunia; Sagna, Senderos, Gallas, Clichy; Eboue, Fabregas, Flamini, Diaby; Hleb, Adebayor.

Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria).

TV: ITV4 from 7.30pm (kick-off 7.45).