So top scorer Thierry Henry and match-winning winger Robert Pires, who were employed only as substitutes in last week’s 2-1 win at Derby look certain starters along with midfielder Ray Parlour who has recovered from a back injury.

"The mathematics are simple," said Wenger. "If we win tomorrow we will be seven points clear of both Leeds and Liverpool with only two games to go.

"Winning the FA Cup next weekend would be a wonderful achievement for us and we are determined to do it, but finishing second in the championship means everything at the moment.

"It would be a huge boost to go into the last few games of the season knowing we are in the Champions League again. We could survive without it, of course, but financially we certainly do not want to have to do so.

"It would also show me that we are really established now among the top European clubs because it would be the fourth consecutive time we have qualified automatically.’’

Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp is still hoping to be given the opportunity to change Wenger’s mind about the Cup Final starters but having only just recovered from an achilles tendon injury it is unlikely he will be given more than a substitute’s role.

In contrast to Wenger, Leeds manager David O’Leary is poised to carry out his threat of resting a number of players for tomorrow’s showdown with his former club.

On the eve of Leeds’ Champions League semi-final first leg against Valencia this week, O’Leary made the vow if his side were still in contention going into Tuesday’s return at the Mestalla then the game with the Gunners would be second on his list of priorities.

With a place in the final at the San Siro on May 23 against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich still up for grabs following Wednesday’s goalless draw at Elland Road, all seven unused subs from the semi could start.

"I’ve made it clear that my priority is to get into the Champions League final," asserted O’Leary. "My players gave their all on Wednesday and now they’ve got to play another tough game at Arsenal.

"At the end of the day we might not qualify for the Champions League via the Premiership, and we might not get into to the Champions League final, but that’s life.

"As far as I’m concerned the priority is not Arsenal."

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Simon Royce insists it is unfair for manager Peter Taylor to take the flak for Leicester’s nightmare run and claimed: "It’s down to the players to get ourselves out of it."

The Foxes will be bidding to avoid a ninth successive league defeat when they entertain one of Taylor’s former clubs and mid-table rivals Tottenham.

"The boss has tried various systems but systems go out of the window when you are on such a bad trot."

And Taylor has his former Spurs team-mate and current White Hart Lane boss backing his cause.

"Not so long ago, Peter was being spoken about as a future manager of the England senior team. Now he’s taking all kinds of grief which just shows what a fickle business football is," said Hoddle, the man who first gave Taylor the chance with the Under-21 side.

"He’s had a very bad run which has stretched to a number of weeks but I know that he is a very good coach and I’m very confident he will turn it around."