Arsenal get easier group than Leeds

By Myles Palmer

By Myles Palmer

Moscow and Munich here we come!

And hello Tony Vairelles, the exciting winger of Lens, who is now with Lyon.

Man United are normally expected to get to the last four.

Recent history suggests that Arsenal and Leeds will do well to get to the last eight.

If Arsenal achieve the quarter-finals we can then look at how they have played and what opposition is left.

I’ve seen enough promise to convince me that, with everybody fit, and a linesman who is not deceived by Wenger’s greyhound strikers, Arsenal can beat anybody.

Those offside decisions will become vital,and controversial,I think,in Phase Two.

I see Group B as a very tight,low-scoring group.

Effenberg was a fantastic player for Borussia Monchengladbach when they twice beat Arsenal 3-2 in 1996.

Mehmet Scholl,a mobile,tidy schemer-scorer,will be a threat.

But the good news is that Arsenal may not have to beat Bayern.Yet.

Moscow Spartak won 5-2 at Highbury in 1982 in the UEFA Cup.

The Russians were different class that night,I’m told.

Group C is

BAYERN MUNICH

ARSENAL

SPARTAK MOSCOW

LYON

Group A is

VALENCIA

STURM GRAZ

MAN UNITED

PANATHINAIKOS

Group B is

MILAN

DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA

PARIS ST GERMAIN

GALATASARAY

Group D is

REAL MADRID

ANDERLECHT

LAZIO

LEEDS

Dacourt and Bakke v Simeone? Can’t wait for that one.

10th November 2000.