Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger has said that Sunday’s match against Manchester United will not influence his selection on Tuesday night.

The Gunners host Olympiacos at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, having lost the opening game of the group stage away to Dinamo Zagreb. That makes Tuesday’s fixture vital, and Wenger won’t look past it.

A game against Manchester United on Sunday is absolutely huge, but the focus is firmly on the Champions League in the build up to Tuesday.

“The [Manchester United] game will not interfere with that at all,” insisted the Arsenal manager. “It is more the games we played before that could have an influence. Some players had two tough games at Tottenham and at Leicester, where they were a high level physically. I will have to analyse that today and make my decisions.”

Mikel Arteta is already out with a slight muscle issue after playing 160 minutes in the space of a few days, while Per Mertesacker and Aaron Ramsey were the only players to play in every minute of both fixtures.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 09: Per Mertesacker and Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal celebrate following their team's 2-1 victory during the FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on March 9, 2015 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Per Mertesacker and Aaron Ramsey celebrate after Arsenal knock Manchester United out of the FA Cup. Both players could be rested on Tuesday ahead of the next Arsenal game against the Red Devils. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

That could mean both players will be spared against Olympiacos, depending on how they have come through the last two games.

With a strong squad Arsenal can rotate, but no mistakes can be made on Tuesday night. There’s a fine line between keeping players fresh and losing our balance, and it is a juggling act that Wenger will have to perform this week.