Arsene Wenger does not want the confidence of his players to come across as arrogance ahead of their Champions League match against AZ Alkmaar tomorrow night.

Andrey Arshavin has said that he believes the team is strong enough to win both the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League this season and doesn't want them to hide behind the excuse of being a young side.

The Russian playmaker's team-mate, Abou Diaby, thinks the club can succeed in Europe. "There is nothing for us to worry about and we are a good team," Diaby said. "We want to show that we can get through this competition."

Wenger, however, is more cautious, no doubt aware of how such comments can come across to opponents, the media and supporters. The Arsenal manager has no qualms about his players voicing their ambitions for the club, but he was quick to point out that this was not a sign of arrogance.

"You do not have to confuse confidence with arrogance," Wenger said. "The confidence comes from that we are in this job to try to win, and I am very happy that the players believe they can do it.

"Usually, when you are guided by fear, you are scared to come out and say things, because you feel stupid if we don’t do it. I want my players to have that confidence and to be honest about it. It means we want to go for it and will give absolutely everything.

"I prefer that than for somebody to say, 'maybe we are not strong enough to do it’.”

Arsenal are unbeaten in 11 matches and know that victory at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow night would all but assure them of a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

They will be without Nicklas Bendtner, who picked up a groin injury in the 3-0 derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, and Gael Clichy, who has a suspected stress fracture in his back.