Arsenal are a dangerous team, especially away from home, and they arrive in Italy at a time when Roma are in pretty poor shape. This, allied to their 1-0 lead from the first leg, makes them favourites to progress to the quarter-finals.

In Italy, Arsenal do not carry the same prestige as Manchester United, Liverpool, or Chelsea, but given what they have achieved against our sides in the Champions League over the last seven years, they should be respected and admired.

They beat AC Milan at this stage of the competition last season, and have also defeated Inter, Juventus and Roma in Italy in this competition. In the last couple of months, they have hit form and now look a very difficult team to play. Being away from home will suit their style.

It is a relief that neither Emmanuel Adebayor nor Cesc Fabregas will be fit to play. If Adebayor were in the team, Roma would have no chance, but without him, Arsenal are not as strong in front of goal. One of their weaknesses is that they seem to miss a lot of chances, as they did in the first leg.

If Roma go on the attack from the beginning, this will play into Arsenal's hands, so I expect them to play a waiting game which will make life a little more difficult for Arsene Wenger's men. It is absolutely crucial that Roma are patient, otherwise Arsenal will just pick them off on the break.

Wenger has a lot of support in Italy, especially among the coaches who admire what he has achieved. But there is no way he would have still been in a job had he been at an Italian club and failed to win a trophy since 2005.

Luciano Spalletti has been at Roma since the start of the 2005/06 season, but he has won two Italian Cups and an Italian Super Cup. Wenger has won nothing since the FA Cup triumph over United four years ago - which would not be tolerated in Serie A.

However, I still believe Arsenal are in better shape going into this game because Wenger has important players coming back, like Eduardo and Theo Walcott, while Roma are without some key men.

Under normal circumstances, Roma would be capable of overturning a 1-0 scoreline, especially at the Stadio Olimpico, but they are just not playing well enough at the moment. If Arsenal had taken their chances at Emirates Stadium, the tie would already be over.

It is a huge blow for Spalletti that Daniele De Rossi will miss the game through suspension after being booked in the first leg. He is the shining light in midfield, the leader of the team, and it will be difficult without him.

I expect the captain Francesco Totti to start in attack, but he is not fully fit because of knee problems and will not be at his best. Julio Baptista has played well in the Champions League this season, and he will have a point to prove after playing on loan at Arsenal during the 2006/07 season. But again, he is not fully fit and this is another reason why I think the English side will be victors tonight.