Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has no doubts Sol Campbell can handle Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

Wenger is set to start Campbell in Sunday's big game at Emirates stadium.

"He is ready if he has recovered well," Wenger told arsenal.com.

"I have to assess him today but normally he will play if Vermaelen doesn't play.

"I think he can stop Rooney. He has experience and he likes the big games. He can turn up if needed and experience helps in these kind of games.

"But I believe more than focusing on one individual performance on our side, it is important to focus on a good team performance."

Campbell and Rooney enjoyed some battle royals during the defender's first spell as an Arsenal player with the former in his prime and the latter just starting his own glittering career. Few would have expected them to lock horns again in the Premier League - not even Wenger.

"That was certainly not expected from him [Campbell] a few months ago when he signed for Notts County," said the Frenchman.

"That shows you how quick football can change and I believe that he has worked very hard. Credit to him, every day he was motivated to push himself and he is quite fit, he looks fit."