Wenger plotting all-out offensive

Only because of the wins over Dynamo at home, followed by the 5-1 destruction of Inter Milan at the San Siro, do Arsenal find themselves in a position to claim a place in the last 16 of the competition. Lokomotiv, however, top the group and need only a draw to progress.

Campbell, though, is confident that events in Milan two weeks ago have signalled a sea-change in the club's faltering form in Europe.

'I feel we've turned the corner when it comes to getting the right results in pressure situations,' he said. 'We can handle them and know what it takes to win a game. We have to defend well but take our chances. If they have to play, it will free up the space for us.

'The result like the one in Milan did feel like it was coming, but we have to push on. I want to be there and rub shoulders with the other teams in the next stage. Once we're there, then you have to realise that it's not too far to go from that point. While there's still hard work to be done, we have to look at it that way.'

Wenger, however, was clearly preoccupied by the possibility of elimination.

'To make the decisive step and say we are on a run, it needs three games at least - and a third victory will be very important,' he said. 'When we played at Inter we could counter-attack, but against Moscow it will be different. If it is still a draw after an hour then the situation is more tense because if you make a mistake defensively it could be very costly.

'The state of our nerves will be completely different in this match. But I think that we are now on the right side of this campaign. We've got to win the game and you will see a team that will go for it.' Former Highbury boss George Graham has challenged Wenger to reward the club's efforts in securing the construction of a new stadium by winning the Champions League.

Graham, who steered the club to European Cup-winners' Cup victory in 1994, said: ' Getting the stadium in place gives Arsene the opportunity to compete with Manchester United and the likes on a level playing field. Arsenal need a platform from which to conquer Europe - and now they have one.

'Arsene knows that the next step for the club is to win the Champions League and with more money at his disposal, he should be able to deliver.'

Having resurrected a challenge which was pronounced dead on more than one occasion, Arsenal have more motivation than most to ensure survival at the moment of truth.

Wenger reminded his players: 'We have said for many years that we want to do it in this competition. That, plus the fact that we were nearly out of it, already makes the desire to do it even greater.'

Now they must prove it.