Arsenal will be without talismanic captain Cesc Fabregas - who is protecting a slight hamstring strain - as well as fellow injured midfielders Alex Song and Denilson, while Russian winger Andrey Arshavin also remained at home because of a virus. Despite running out comfortable 5-1 winners at Emirates Stadium a fortnight ago to take charge of Group H, Wenger is all too aware tonight's return encounter in Ukraine will be a whole new ball game. Since losing in north London, Shakhtar have won their three domestic matches without conceding a goal. The Miners have kept clean sheets from nine of their 10 home games this season, and lost just two of the last 30 matches in all competitions. "I will remind the players Shakhtar is a strong side that we perhaps caught on a good day for us at Emirates," said Wenger. "They will have been hurt by what happened, and at home, they will be a completely different team. "If you let them get into a flow, they can cause you many problems. We will make sure we are well aware of that." Wenger added: "Certainly we will face a team who will be up for it. "Shakhtar are one of the strong sides in Europe, and they dominate this league. "They are an unbeatable team here, at least locally - but we have a chance to beat them, so let's try to get the best out of our performance. "We can win anywhere in the world, we have done it - we can win everywhere." Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner is returning to full fitness following a groin injury. Theo Walcott, himself just back from ankle ligament damage, is likely to start alongside Marouane Chamakh in the Arsenal attack on Wednesday night, while England teenager Jack Wilshere, who has now served a three-match domestic ban, will return to midfield. Bendtner, though, is up for the challenges ahead. "You want competition, and at a big team like Arsenal there will always be competition for each place," the 22-year-old said. "As a player want to play every game up to manager to pick starting XI. "All I can do is give my best to get into the team." Bendtner added: "It is going well and we are where we want to be. "The way we have played has been fantastic and if we can keep that up it will be great. "We like to play with each other and like to win games, that is what we try to do. "It brings the best out of all of us."
