Ox - First goal can create tension

By Lloyd Webb

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain feels that scoring the first goal will be crucial in Arsenal's Champions League decider against Olympiacos.

The Gunners travel to Karaiskakis Stadium knowing they have to beat the Greek champions by two goals or score three times and win by a goal to advance into the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Oxlade-Chamberlain says that if the Gunners can open the scoring in Athens, then it could unsettle their opponents.

“If we can get that first goal we will really put them under pressure and we can push on and hopefully get another one,” he told Arsenal Player.

“If they manage to score we are not out of it by any stretch of the imagination, we will just have to score a few more. We will see how the game goes but we need to defend first and foremost - keeping a clean sheet is the first task.

“We have got players in our side that can go and score goals and we will be focused on doing that. Olympiacos came to the Emirates and played really well on the night and showed us what a threat they can be.

"We have played at Olympiacos a number of times so it is a tough place to go and their fans can create a real buzzy atmosphere. It can be a bit intimidating but we have to feed off of that and go there and get two goals, defend well and get the result.

“Going into that game with nothing to lose, the boss uses the term: ‘playing without the handbrake on’. I think that is when we play our best stuff and if we do that we give ourselves the best chance.”