Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes Wednesday's Champions League clash with Liverpool will be more European in style than an ordinary encounter between two Premier League sides.

The Gunners are at home for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final and Wenger expects Liverpool to try and keep the game tight.

He has told supporters to anticipate a different kind of match as he feels the occasion will force both sides to be slightly more cautious in their approach.

Wenger told Sky Sports News: "I would say a British tie but a Champions League game, for one simple reason. We are in a knockout situation and we are on the train and we want to stay on it.

"Somebody has to go out so that means Liverpool will be in the situation where they will make it tight and play on the break, more than in the championship, where you can concede a goal and still continue.

"Every goal is so vital in the knockout stage so the focus is always a bit higher and naturally so is the intensity. I expect it to be a bit different."

Wenger accepts that the presence of a Dutch referee rather than an English official could also steer the match in that direction.

He said: "There is a bit more intervention on the continent so sometimes the fluency of the British game might go."

Arsenal have had a poor run of results in recent weeks but they came from behind to beat Bolton 3-2 at the weekend and Wenger remains confident that his team will advance to the last four.

"We have the belief that we can beat anybody in any competition," Wenger declared.

"It is true that we had a little dip recently but the victory over Bolton has done us a lot of good.

"When you continue to play well and not win the confidence will suffer, so it was important for us to get that back."

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