ARSENE WENGER has admitted that "the next two weeks will define our season" as the Gunners prepare to face Liverpool in the Champions League at the Emirates tomorrow night.
The two European legs take place either side of a premier league encounter at Arsenal this weekend, and the daunting fortnight programme is completed by a trip to league leaders Manchester United on April 12.
A remarkable recovery at Bolton Wanderers at the weekend has given Arsenal a much-needed confidence boost ahead of this testing period, and Wenger recognised that the Gunners' must be on the top of their game if they are to walk away six points better off and with a place in the semi-finals of the Champions' League secured.
"It will be the highest challenge for me," declared the Arsenal boss.
"The next two weeks will define our season because I strongly believe that we are in the championship race.
"Our next two games in the championship are Liverpool and United and then, on top of that, we have two Champions League games so this next period is vital."
Speaking of the match at the Reebok, the Frenchman said: "When you are two down, with 10 men and haven't won for five games and you ask the team to win the game, they must have some special belief and mental strength to go and do it.
"What I have learned is that when our backs are to the wall, they have extraordinary resources."
Wenger will welcome top scorer Emmanuel Adebayor back into the starting XI for the visit of Liverpool after the Togolese striker was only used as a second-half substitute at Bolton, and with Robin van Persie back to somewhere near his best after a lengthy injury lay-off, the Gunners' boss is looking forward to a feast of attacking football.
"We are in a much stronger position now than before the weekend, but so are Liverpool. These are two teams who have no excuse to be low on confidence - that is why it will be an outstanding game to watch.
Wenger insisted: "It is important for it to be a spectacle.
"Every game is something to enjoy and the English Premier League now has a big reputation for that all over the world.
"You have to be faithful to that and for the game to be at the level they expect.
"Liverpool and ourselves play at a high pace so it should be an exciting game.
"It is down to the teams who grab the chances they create. That is what makes the difference in the end."
However, Wenger, who guided Arsenal to the Champions' League final in 2006, is still expecting a closely-contested encounter, and he is wary of threat Liverpool pose up front.
"We are on the train and we want to stay on it, but somebody has to go out," warned Wenger. "Liverpool will make it tight and play on the break more than in the championship.
"Every goal is so vital - the concentration is a bit higher, the intensity is higher. I expect it to be a bit different to the Premier League.
"You have to keep the strengths of the other team quiet and at the moment the people who are finishing the most in their team are (Steven) Gerrard and (Fernando) Torres through the middle. We have to keep them quiet."
While Torres and Gerrard have both spoken about Liverpool's confidence ahead of the match, Wenger knows his team are equally capable of beating any team on their day.
"We have the belief we can beat anybody in any competition. It doesn't matter if it is Liverpool or anyone else.
"Europe is all about being in a good shape on the day. We have the belief and the desire to win the Champions League, but now it is down to performances on the day."
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