With the Gunners in France for a Champions League fixture against Lyon, Kanu has timed his threat to leave to carry the most impact.

Kanu’s Dutch-based agent Frank Seedoc said that the player had not made an idle threat over his Arsenal future.

"If Kanu doesn’t play then the relationship is over," said Seedoc.

"It is not a threat because there is no threat in the truth."

But Wenger is likely to turn to Arsenal’s French-flavoured mix of skill and steel to repel more Gallic invaders from their Highbury fortress again tonight.

Wenger will demand a touch of home comfort to secure the first of two Highbury victories he feels will take the Gunners through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

There is no place like home for Arsenal. In their last 83 games at Highbury they have lost only four and have failed to score in just one of the last 29.

Lyon, beaten 1-0 by a Thierry Henry goal at home last Tuesday, are the latest to test the Highbury resolve of Wenger’s team who have been beaten only once by French opposition in seven previous meetings.

That was against Lens at Wembley two years ago in the Champions League, a result doubly avenged in last season’s two-legged UEFA Cup semi-final.

"Although we reached the UEFA Cup final last season and Arsenal have won the European Cup-winners Cup before, the Champions League is something extra," said Wenger. "The competition that puts you on the map in Europe.

"Reaching the quarter-finals is something the club has never done before and for me it is a huge motivation.

"A few months ago we looked to have no chance after we lost 4-1 to Spartak Moscow.

"That was at a time which coincided with a bad run we were having in the Premier League and it was difficult then to see a way back.

"But we have found stability again and now we must not let this chance slip. We only drew at home to Bayern Munich after being two goals ahead and that was another disappointment, but last week in Lyon we did a very important thing by winning away and now I believe our home form can see us progress even further.

"Lyon’s French League results show they are more dangerous away than at home and I’m expecting just as difficult a match as last week when we were a little bit lucky.

"But we are in a good way with our form and morale is high. The players know their responsibilities and have shown a great spirit. If we can win tonight and again at home to Spartak in two weeks time we will be in a good position to go through with Bayern, whom I believe are virtually qualified already."

Six wins in a row take Arsenal into tonight’s clash on a high wave of confidence and even the much-publicized conflict of egos among their four world-class strikers has been turned into a plus by Wenger.

Dennis Bergkamp, Kanu and Sylvain Wiltord - Sunday’s supersub hero with the two late goals that knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup - have all taken it in turns to publicly criticise Wenger’s rotation system when they have been left out.

"As long as their frustrations produce a positive effect on the field then it is OK," said Wenger.

"And at the moment that is just what is happening.

"I can understand that players are unhappy when they don’t play especially in the big matches which are coming up all the time for us now.

"But we agreed at the start of the season that top clubs need four strikers just like Manchester United have. They accept it at Old Trafford and the players here will have to accept it as well.

"To be frank, I don’t know yet which two I will pick to start against Lyon, but whatever I do I am pretty sure it won’t dilute the quality."

Lyon, by contrast, have automatic selections in attack with Brazilian veteran Sonny Anderson and French international Steve Marlet.

Anderson, though, hardly had a look-in against Arsenal’s inspiring skipper Tony Adams last week, and Wenger is hopeful the former England centre-back will be able to return after a one-match domestic suspension, despite a familiar back-injury worry.

Wenger said: "Tony’s back has been very sore for a few days and we were a bit scared over him, but he had a training session yesterday and looked OK."

Anderson, who has scored 103 goals in 165 games for Lyon, and was a team-mate of Arsenal hot-shot Henry in a previous spell with Monaco, said: "Tony Adams and David Seaman were excellent for Arsenal last week, but I am not thinking about them, just my own game.

"I’m always confident of scoring goals and although last week was a disappointment this is another game in an other stadium and we need a positive result."

Ray Parlour also returns from suspension to Arsenal’s midfield and fit-again Gilles Grimandi looks likely to step in for the ineligible Igors Stepanovs and the injured Martin Keown alongside Adams at the back.

Silvinho is still not quite recovered from calf-muscle damage but could be on the bench tonight ready to regain his starting place against Manchester United on Sunday.