ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger is eager to prove his side are capable of lifting the Champions Trophy by defeating one of the two remaining English teams in the competition, following the Gunners' 5-0 demolition of Porto.
A hat-trick from Nicklas Bendtner inspired Arsenal to a comfortable win over the Portuguese side, who lead the tie 2-1 after the first leg in Oporto three weeks ago. Samir Nasri's dazzling solo effort and a composed finish from Emmanuel Eboue after a slick counter attack completed the rout, as Wenger's men made history. It was the first time the club in 30 years that the club had managed to overturn a first leg deficit in European competition.
And now Wenger believes it is time to send his charges back into the lion's den, against either Manchester United or Chelsea in the quarter-finals, having lost to both teams home and away already this season.
“I have a funny feeling,” said the Frenchman. “Maybe it will be good for us to play an English team. We have not done well against Chelsea or Manchester United this year and it would be good to show what we can do against them.”
Bendtner started the scoring after just ten minutes of the contest at the Emirates, stabbing home after the ball had ricocheted into his path when Andrey Arshavin was denied by keeper Helton after being put through by the superb Nasri.
The Russian was then responsible for laying another goal on the big Dane's plate, weaving between defenders before squaring for the striker to tap in his second.
The expectant crowd were made to wait until the second half for the third that ultimately put the game beyond Porto's reach. And what a way to do it.
The irrepressible Nasri looked to be hemmed in on the right touchline but he twisted and turned his way into the box and, with three players for company, he jinked his way past their challenges, before slamming the ball in off the far post from the tightest of angles.
Substitute Eboue was next on the scoresheet, galloping on to a perfect pass from Arshavin before coolly rounding the keeper and sliding the ball into the unguarded net.
Porto's embarrassment was compounded when Bendtner tucked away a penalty in stoppage time for his first hat-trick of his career, after Eboue had been felled in the area.
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