And the big news is that Arsene Wenger has apparently confirmed that Sol Campbell will be starting the game at Fratton Park, his first turn-out for the first team since the Irons debacle on 1st February, when he famously left the stadium at half-time after his mistakes had led to 2 West Ham goals. This in turn led to all sorts of silly speculation about the state of Sol's mind which was further fuelled, a little at least, by official description of his subsequent injury as a 'genuine calf problem'.

For a while now, Le Boss has been stressing that Sol's head is fine, and he seems to have been on the verge of a return to action for almost as long. Many were expecting to see him play at Old Trafforf on Sunday, and concluded that if he's not announced in the team for tomorrow, it would spell the end not only of his chances of making the World Cup squad but also of his Arsenal career.

We're not too fussed about the World Cup, but it's probably fair to say that Sol's going to have to play regularly, and at the top of his form, to get back into Sony Goran Eriksson's squad never mind the starting XI. It's also probably fair to say that he's unlikely to get that chance, such has been the form of Kolo Toure and Philippe Senderos of late. It's they that have kept out Real Madrid and Juventus and established us as record-breaking Champs League clean sheet keepers. And what Sol's return to the squad means, for Arsenal, is the opportunity to give one of those guys a rest with a busy and crucial time coming up (2 big games veery week till the end of the season, see calendar).

Apparently, it's Senderos that gets the rest this time. If Sol does alright and comes through unscathed, perhaps it'll be Toure for the West Brom game on Saturday.

Skipper Thierry Henry is expected back in the starting line-up, as is Jose Antonio Reyes, both having been rested on Sunday. Freddie Ljungberg should also come back in, as Wenger rotates things to try to keep as many as fresh as possible for next Wednesday's visit of Villareal for the first leg of the Champs League semi-final. I wouldn;t be surprised to see Manuel Almunia start one of these 2 games as well. Ashley Cole, Gael Clichy, and Kerrea Gilbert are expected back very soon as well (see official injury news.