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Red alert as Gunners get infuriated

Patrick Vieira has warned Man-chester United to brace themselves for the backlash from Arsenal's Champions League defeat by Inter Milan.

After being humbled 3-0 by the Italians, the Gunners travel to Old Trafford for tomorrow's Premiership summit meeting desperate to extinguish the burning sense of humiliation brought on by the club's worst European result at Highbury in two decades.

"When you have had a bad day like we had against Inter and concede three goals at home, you want the next game to come straight away," Vieira admitted. "The next game is at Old Trafford so we have the chance to prove everything. We will respond well because I really believe we are strong enough."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger did his best to play down the significance of Wednesday's defeat, in which a superbly disciplined Inter ruthlessly exploited the structural faultlines running through his side's defensive strategy.

But he acknowledged that it had raised the stakes involved in tomorrow's encounter between his 2002 double winners and the reigning champions.

"We want to go up there and show how strong we are. It is not only points that are stake, we also have to show that we are mentally strong."

Keane, who sat out United's 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Panathanaikos in midweek, has looked back to his old self this season but it is feared the injury could be serious enough to warrant surgery that would sideline him for up to six weeks.

United-Arsenal clashes in recent years have all been full-blooded affairs in which penalties have repeatedly played a crucial role.

But despite his midweek miss against Inter, Thierry Henry insists he will be taking any that come Arsenal's way tomorrow.

"I don't know any player in the world who never missed a penalty," he said. "I can't hide. I will be taking the next one."

With the big showdown not until tomorrow, Manchester City can go top of the table today with victory away to Fulham.

American midfielder and former Rangers player Claudio Reyna can expect a hostile reaction from the home crowd after snubbing Fulham at the last minute to join City in the summer.

Liverpool will seek to put their row with Blackburn over the Lucas Neill tackle that broke Jamie Carragher's leg behind them when they take on Leicester at Anfield.

Reds manager Gerard Houllier is hoping for more of the same from El Hadji Diouf, who has enjoyed a scintillating start to the season after being branded a ?10-million flop in his first year at the club.

"We were probably too impatient with him when he came here because it was on the back of two major competitions, the African Nations and the World Cup," Houllier reflected.

"Now we are seeing the best of him. His teammates like him because he works hard, never hides and is a team player."

Glenn Hoddle's Spurs will entertain his former club Southampton at White Hart Lane with the beleaguered manager knowing a fourth defeat in six games this season could cost him his job.
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