Same again: Bendtner will be
looking for a repeat of his Emirates goal at Anfield on
Tuesday
Nicklas Bendtner has vowed Arsenal will not be
intimidated by the Anfield roar as the Gunners aim to keep their
Champions League dream alive against Liverpool. Arsenal travel to
Merseyside locked at 1-1 in their quarter-final, second leg clash
and 20-year-old striker Bendtner insists his side will not wilt
under the pressure of a raucous home support on Tuesday
night.
"We went there before this season and everyone was telling me
before that game how great a place Anfield can be to play in," said
the Dane, who scored the equaliser in the 1-1 Premier League draw
with Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
"I came on and the atmosphere was fantastic. I expect the same
on Tuesday, but we have to deal with it and win the game. As a
player, you always want to produce, and in a big game even more
so."
The Premier League clash at Anfield in October also ended 1-1
and Arsenal know they must score or they will be eliminated.
Bendtner, however, is backing his team-mates.
"We have prepared well and kept the belief in the squad," he
said. "I don't think we have many goalless draws at this club. They
will have their game plan and we will have ours. We always score
and get our chances."
Despite Bendtner's confidence, Arsenal are in danger of ending
the season without a trophy for the third year running - a slump
unprecedented during Arsene Wenger's 12-year reign.
Saturday's 1-1 draw means Arsenal have picked up just eight
points from their last seven League games and their title hopes are
now effectively over.
Nicklas Bendtner says he won't be
worried by the Anfield fans (above) tomorrow.
Wenger accepts that Arsenal's loss of form coincided
with the loss of three key players through injury - Eduardo, Robin
van Persie and Tomas Rosicky. All three have been absent for much
of the spring and van Persie has not played regularly since
October.
"It was difficult to predict that all three would be out
together for such a long time," said Wenger. "I think had we got
them back in the team, we'd still be up there."
Mind you, all three were absent when Arsenal produced the
performance of the season - that epic 2-0 victory over AC Milan in
Italy in the Champions League last month.
Wenger has told his players they must dig deep to "recover
physically and mentally" after the first two parts of their
triple-header with Liverpool.
