Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that a good result in tonight's Champions League clash with Real Madrid could provide the spark the Gunners need to kick-start their domestic campaign.
The Gunners will again be without several first-team regulars, particularly in defence - and will need to produce their finest performance of an under-achieving campaign to give them any chance in the second leg at Highbury in a fortnight's time.
Wenger feels it is also an opportunity to regain some self belief in the battle to force their way back into the top four of the Barclays Premiership, and so secure another crack at Europe's elite club competition.
"I am convinced that for us for the rest of the season it is important that we do well," the Arsenal manager said.
"We have been swimming against the stream for the whole year - no matter what we did it was always negative vibes. Then we had a lot of injuries and the team has shown strong mental resistance."
Wenger reflected: "When you start the season you think the back four will be Lauren, Kolo Toure, Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole. We played the whole of January and February without them.
"So it was not an easy period for the team, but when we lost the games we did, it was only just - and we nicked a few points as well. We have shown we have some players with top, top quality."
Arsenal will at least have Jose Antonio Reyes back in the squad after the Spaniard recovered from a badly bruised leg.
England full-back Cole has resumed training following his thigh injury but will not be risked and will instead feature for the reserves against Barnet later today.
Mathieu Flamini is expected to continue on the left side of defence, while Freddie Ljungberg could be pressed further forwards and youngster Theo Walcott is set to be on the substitutes' bench.
