ARSENAL and Liverpool will break new ground in their 115-year rivalry at the Emirates Stadium tonight when they meet in European competition for the first time.

The Champions League quarterfinal first leg will be the 200th occasion the sides have clashed and although they have faced each other in FA Cup finals and a title decider in the past, few of the previous encounters have had as much at stake.

A place in the semifinals against Chelsea or Fenerbahce awaits the winners, with May’s final in Moscow looming just over the horizon.

The match is the first of three between the sides in seven days with a Premier League meeting at the Emirates on Saturday to follow before the return leg at Anfield on April 8.

Arsenal is set to recall Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor to the starting line-up.

Adebayor, who scored 22 goals in his first 31 appearances of the season, has scored just once — a 90th minute strike against AC Milan in the previous round — in his last nine matches, and was rested at the weekend.

Manager Arsene Wenger said Adebayor looked jaded recently, but Liverpool will need to be wary of the rangy striker’s threat.

Likewise Arsenal’s defense, missing the injured Bacary Sagna, will need to watch Fernando Torres, who scored his 21st league goal of the season and 28th in all competitions against Everton on Sunday.

Before Saturday’s victory, Arsenal had gone five league games without a win and their central playmaker, Cesc Fabregas appeared to have lost some of his early-season dynamism.

If Fabregas gets the better of his Spanish compatriot, Xabi Alonso, Arsenal could live up to its tag as a slight favorite.

In another clash tonight, Fenerbahce will meet Chelsea at home.

“We definitely have to win the first match at home. If we concentrate properly we can achieve our goal,” said Fenerbahce coach Zico.

Zico will be pinning his hopes on playmaker Alex in his team’s debut appearance in the last eight.

Alex scored twice in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over city rivals Besiktas, a result that gave Fenerbahce renewed confidence in its battle to win the Turkish title.

(SD-Agencies)