Arsenal vs. Marseille: Preview, Team News, Players to Watch

For all the talk of crisis at Arsenal, the Gunners host Marseille on Tuesday evening knowing that a win would secure them their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

If their barnstorming 5-3 win away to Chelsea on Saturday is not enough to fill them with confidence, then the 1-0 win they claimed late on in the south of France two weeks ago should be all the proof they need that they can get the job done with two group games to spare.

History also heavily favours the Gunners: They have only lost two of the 17 games they have played against French opposition in European competition (winning nine), while Marseille have lost six and only won one of their last eight Champions League matches against sides from across the English Channel.

However, Didier Deschamps team should still represent a challenge for Arsenal. They have kept a clean sheet in seven of their last nine European games (excluding qualifiers), and are six matches unbeaten in Ligue 1.

They are second in the group with six points going into this match, one point behind Arsenal. And their 3-0 home win over German champions Borussia Dortmund on Matchday Two shows they are no pushover.

Here is all the key team news and players to watch ahead of the Group F clash.

Arsenal Team News

The big news for Arsenal is that centre-back Thomas Vermaelen has been passed fit and could start against Marseille. The Belgian defender has only started three matches for the Gunners this season as he has been plagued by an Achilles problem, but came on for the closing moments of Saturday's win at Chelsea.

Another defender who came on as a substitute at Stamford Bridge is Carl Jenkinson. The young full-back injured his knee in the fixture between these two sides at the Stade Velodrome a fortnight ago, but replaced Johan Djourou with 15 minutes remaining. He could start against OM on Tuesday ahead of Djourou, with Bacary Sagna still sidelined with a fractured ankle.

Kieran Gibbs remains sidelined with a stomach problem, so Andre Santos will continue at left-back.
The Gunners are still missing injured midfielders Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere (both with ankle injuries), but Yossi Benayoun is available again after the terms of his loan from Chelsea prohibited him from playing at his parent club on Saturday.

Striker Marouane Chamakh has been ruled out with a knee injury and will not feature against the club he scored against three times during his eight years with Bordeaux.

Marseille Team News

Marseille forward Andre-Pierre Gignac recovered from a groin complaint to make an appearance against Dijon at the weekend from the bench. The 25-year-old is yet to score for OM this season, having made just six appearances in Ligue 1 so far this term, all of them as a substitute.

Defensive midfielder Stephane M'Bia's foot has not healed sufficiently for him to make an appearance at the Emirates Stadium. The Cameroon international has been out since August after breaking his foot, and stated recently he was still 10 days away from a return to action.

Top scorer Loic Remy, who scored in the 3-2 win at Dijon, is fit for action, as is France captain Alou Diarra who scored the winner in that match eight minutes from time.

Alex Song

Much is always made of the attacking midfielders at Arsenal's disposal, and rightly so, but Song's role is no less important.

He is the only Gunners player outside of the back four who can really get his challenges in, and he has done so plenty of times this season. 

The Cameroon midfielder has made 18 tackles in his three group stage appearances thus far, comfortably more than any other player in the competition.

Marseille may well be more attack-minded at the Emirates than they would have been had they not lost at home to the Gunners two weeks ago, so Song's defensive contribution will be all the more important as he aims to stop Mathieu Valbuena, Benoit Cheyrou and Luis Gonzalez pulling the strings in midfield.

Steve Mandanda

The Marseille goalkeeper has not missed a minute of action for Marseille in Ligue 1 or Europe this season, and has been in sparkling form.

The 26-year-old, who wears the captain's armband for his club, will have to be at his best; however, if Robin van Persie is on the sort of form which saw him bag a hat-trick at Chelsea at the weekend.

While Gervinho never scored against Marseille during his four years in French football (two years at Le Mans, then two years at Lille), the Ivory Coast forward has looked in good form in recent weeks, and he will also be a danger for Mandanda.

The keeper can take a large slice of the credit for Marseille and their last three group stage matches away from home, stretching back into last season, without conceding a single goal.