Wenger backs young Gunners to avoid defeat in Oporto

Published on Wednesday 10 December 2008 10:35

CONFIDENT Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is "not scared" his depleted team will fail to deliver the result needed against Porto tonight to win their Champions League group.

The Gunners are already qualified for the knockout stages, and need only to avoid defeat at the Estadio do Dragao to secure top spot and with it a better seeding. However, Wenger has taken something of a depleted squad out to Oporto, and one which included many of the youngsters that performed admirably in their Carling Cup run.

Captain Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor are all out of tonight's match. However, former skipper William Gallas returns along with Abou Diaby while youngsters Aaron Ramsey, Kieran Gibbs, Gavin Hoyte, Mark Randall, Fran Merida, Jack Wilshere and Jay Simpson are all among the travelling party.

Wenger, though, rejected the notion his team selection was set to be a "big gamble".

He said: "I am not scared – I believe this team can produce the result we need to finish top of the group and that's the only reason why I made this decision. There are many injuries and many people who have played a lot of games."