Wenger faces Lehmann decision

Arsene Wenger faces a difficult choice over whether to keep faith with keeper Manuel Almunia or bring back Jens Lehmann for tomorrow's crunch Champions League match with Rosenborg.

For all his reputation as a man of precise habits, Wenger acts on instinct and it was a gut reaction that prompted the decision to leave out Lehmann for Saturday's 3-0 win over Birmingham.

In a recent training session, Wenger was hugely impressed by some of the incredible stops Almunia made. He witnessed one remarkable save from a Thierry Henry volley - struck so sweetly that the French striker turned away assuming the ball was nestling in the net.

Only the gasps and then the applause made him look round to see Almunia had saved it. That form persuaded Wenger to drop Lehmann, who said: "Arsene said I did not look the freshest to him. That's it. To be honest, I was surprised at the decision to drop me. I don't know yet how I am going to take it.

"I knew all along that if you have two or three bad games in the Premiership, you're out. But except for my mistake in Athens, I haven't had anything to blame myself for."

What made it more surprising was that Almunia made a dreadful error after just 19 seconds of the Carling Cup quarter-final at Manchester United last Wednesday, when a shot from David Bellion squirmed past him.