Arsene Wenger is expecting a professional atmosphere based on mutual respect when he takes his Arsenal team to Manchester United. The Gunners face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night.

"Our respect will survive the two games," the Frenchman told the club's official website. "(Earning Ferguson's respect) is one of the privileges of getting older!

"I think these two games will be a fierce competition. We'll go completely for it and so will they.

"It will be a very interesting competition because we feel we have improved since the beginning of the season, they feel that they've come back into a stronger position than they were two or three weeks ago. So both teams can both be peaking at the right time.

"I believe really they will be very competitive games."