Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba is looking forward to facing old club Arsenal today.

"Arsene Wenger gave me a lot of advice and told me to be my own man and be myself," said Muamba. "It wasn't a hard decision to leave Arsenal because I wanted regular football.

"As a player you want to play every week. I'm no different. I wasn't doing that at Arsenal.

"I enjoyed my time there and I'm still in touch with a few of the players.

"Arsenal have started well but I believe this is the best time to be playing them. They have had a long trip to Ukraine in midweek and they've now got to come to our place.

"I don't think they will be relishing the prospect of coming here."

Muamba, 20, has come a long way since arriving in England with his family from the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo in 1999 as an 11-year-old unable to speak English.

He went on to take A-levels and now possesses a British passport and has captained England at under-19 level.

Muamba said: "I enjoy my studies.

"I might break my leg in the next game so you never know when they will come in handy."