Emmanuel Petit has fired a warning to his old club about a ‘really dangerous player’ in the RC Lens squad of their meeting.
The Gunners go into the Group B clash having won three of their four matches thus far and the north Londoners will qualify for the last 16 if they avoid defeat, while a victory would see them finish top.
But they face a tricky test against Lens at the Emirates on Wednesday, with the French side having beaten Arsenal 2-1 in the reverse fixture on October 3.
Lens forward Elye Wahi secured the winning goal in that game and Petit has warned Arsenal that the 20-year-old could ‘hurt’ ’s side again.
The France U21 star has registered six goal involvements in 15 appearances this term across Ligue 1 and the Champions League and also got on the scoresheet on Saturday in a 3-0 victory over Clermont Foot.
‘Lens had a great result at the weekend, beating Clermont Foot 0-3,’ Petit told .
‘They are starting to show the signs of the team that surprised so many people in France last season.
‘If you listen to the Lens players, they all know how difficult it will be to come to London, but they have a chance to spring a surprise on Arsenal. They can play without pressure because nobody expects them to get anything from the match.
‘Arsenal are very difficult to beat at home, but if they can play with the same spirit as they did in the opening group game, they can cause Arsenal problems. In football, if you have a chance, you have to take it.
‘Elye Wahi, the Lens striker, he scored at the weekend, and he is a really dangerous player. He is an individual that Arsenal will have to keep an eye on because he has the quality to hurt them.’
