“It is only a friendly.” Though Cole is likely to play through the pain (Nelson Vivas stands by) Arsenal will definitely be without Ray Parlour and Martin Keown. Sylvain Wiltord is also a slight doubt because of an ear infection. But Wenger said: “Let’s concentrate not on who is missing but on who is playing. We have enough quality to win.”Wenger added that he was unsure whether Arsenal could go on and win the trophy, but he said: “We just need the chance to find out.

Once you are in the quarter-finals anything can happen.” He added the older players, in particular, aware they are running out of opportunities, would not lack motivation.They are not the only ones at Highbury aching for European success. Arsenal may be one of the great names of the English game, with a lengthy domestic honours list to prove it, but their achievements on the Continent have been distinctly modest. They may have lifted the Fairs’ Cup in 1970, and the European Cup-Winners’ Cup in 1994, but their impact on club football’s premier competition has been negligible. They have never reached the last four of the European Cup and, should they qualify this season, it will only be Arsenal’s second appearance in the quarter-finals.Every year Uefa, the governing body of European football, issues a series of ranking lists. In the European Champion Clubs’ Cup list (based on two points for a win and one for a draw) they began the season 70th, on the shoulders of such giants of the game as Omonia Nicosia, Brondby, FC Zurich and HJK Helsinki. Even in the all-competitions list (European Cup, Cup-Winners, Fairs and Uefa) they were only 66th, behind Aberdeen, Dundee United and, by 38 places, Tottenham Hotspur.”Historically Arsenal have not done well in the Champions’ Cup, although they have won other European trophies and reached finals,” Wenger said. “To put the club on the map in the competition is a big motivation.”One player to watch on the Russian side is the playmaker Igor Titov.

Depending on the future of the transfer market the highly regarded Titov is expected to move to the West for more than £15m later this season. Known as the “Russian Zidane” he has already been linked with Bayern Munich. Spartak, however, will not sell until they are out of the Champions’ League.”They are very physical in attack and also have a very creative midfielder in Titov,” Wenger said “We cannot afford to let them play. We have to put them under pressure.” With their domestic league in the close season, Spartak have only played two competitive games this year, being beaten by Bayern Munich in both. History may be against Arsenal – they have not beaten Russian opposition in four attempts and lost 5-2 at home to a Spartak side including Romatsev in 1982 – the present is.If Arsenal win, and Lyon fail to beat Bayern Munich in France tonight, Arsenal will be through. Otherwise, Arsenal will go to Munich next week under pressure.Arsenal (probable): Seaman; Dixon, Grimandi, Adams, A Cole; Lauren, Ljungberg, Vieira, Pires; Wiltord, Henry.Spartak Moscow (probable): Filimonov; Kovtun, Tchuisse, Parfionov, Mitrevski, Baranov, Bulatov, Titov, Kalinichenko, Marcão or Irismetov, Robson.Referee: R Pedersen (Norway)..

Everton are offering Francis Jeffers a record £8m contract in an attempt to keep him away from the clutches of Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. The club’s owner, Bill Kenwright, has put together a package worth around £30,000-a-week for the next five years for Jeffers, the best deal ever offered to an Everton player. Everton are offering Francis Jeffers a record £8m contract in an attempt to keep him away from the clutches of Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. The club’s owner, Bill Kenwright, has put together a package worth around £30,000-a-week for the next five years for Jeffers, the best deal ever offered to an Everton player.
Everton want Jeffers, back in the team after an ankle injury, to commit his future to the club before they face problems in the summer. The England Under-21 striker has 15 months left on his contract and if he does not sign the new deal soon he may be put up for sale.Everton, who are reported to be around £25m in debt, cannot afford to run the risk of losing the player for nothing in the summer of 2002.The Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has already registered interest in Jeffers and asked for the first option if they decide to sell.Arsenal too, are known admirers and would be interested at the end of the season as they search for a quality English striker. Tottenham have also expressed interest and are willing to pay around £7m straight away – a carrot that is tempting the Goodison club.However, Everton want to take a big-money battle off the agenda and have surprised Jeffers by the size of the deal, which he has yet to accept.

Sources close to the player feel that he will sign, but Everton insiders are less certain.The Portugal defender Abel Xavier said on the Everton website yesterday that he had no plans to quit the club. He was reported to be returning home to play for Benfica earlier this season after an impressive showing in last year’s European Championship finals.Abel Xavier has one season left on his Everton contract when the current campaign ends, but said: “I’ve never been so welcome at any club as I have been here, and as long as people want me I want to stay.”The Sunderland manager, Peter Reid, is set to sign the Slovakian international striker Szilard Nemeth in a £3m deal. The 23-year-old Inter Bratislava player flew in for talks yesterday about a deal that would make him the most expensive footballer in his country’s history. Nemeth is being lined up by Reid to give a new option to his strikeforce and eventually replace Niall Quinn.Reid is also heading to Argentina this week to watch the Argentinos Juniors midfielder Nicolas Medina. The clubs are discussing a £4m deal for the 18-year-old, and a bid could be made on the trip.The Bradford City manager, Jim Jefferies, is to make a £1m bid for the Stockport County striker Aaron Wilbraham. Jefferies watched him for the third time in a month at the weekend and has started negotiations for a player who has become one of the most prolific scorers in the First Division.Jefferies is expected to sell Dean Windass to Middlesbrough and will let Ashley Ward leave on a free transfer.