Source: Team_Talk
Hoops boss craves first blood
The teams clash again on Wednesday night in the Champions League play-off second leg, with the Gunners 2-0 ahead in the tie.
Should Arsenal add a third, Mowbray admits the match will effectively be over but he is confident his side will subject Arsene Wenger to some uncomfortable moments.
Arsenal face Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday so an early breakthrough would enable him to make half-time changes against Celtic.
"It's a difficult task after the first leg but it's a game we're looking forward to. I've talked about trying to score the first goal," said Mowbray.
"In any match the third goal is a very crucial one - it's either when the game's put to bed or the team who was 2-0 up get very nervous.
"We're at half-time in this tie and we need the goal. I don't think Arsene Wenger will have written us off. He's way too good at his job to have done that.
"I'm sure he'd like to score the goal so that he can relax while sitting on the bench.
"But if we score first then he won't be relaxing and it won't be a case of bringing some players off to rest them for Manchester United.
"We gave a good account of ourselves in the first match, though Arsenal were the better side on the night.
"Let's hope for a bit of good fortune tomorrow night and see where that takes us."
In response to suggestions Arsenal's team selection will be shaped by their trip to Old Trafford, Mowbray joked: "We will be competitive whoever plays but we've obviously got half an eye on a very strong Hibs team this weekend!
"It's important that we do well in the Scottish Premier League."
Wenger highlighted what he viewed as some physical play from Celtic in the first leg, prompting Mowbray to stress the difficulty in facing Arsenal.
"If you sit off Arsenal and get beaten by five or six, people criticise you for not getting in amongst them," he said.
"But you have to compete, put your foot in and challenge, which is all we did because we don't have any overly physical players.
"I'd suggest we don't have an overly physical team. I take little stock in post-match comments, even if they're from the best manager in the world."
If Celtic fail to topple Arsenal in north London they will drop into the Europa League - a thought that Mowbray refuses to entertain just yet.
"I'm not concerned about the safety net of the Europa League, it's no consolation to be fair," he said.
"But if we're in that competition we will enjoy it and be as competitive as we can."
Cameroon midfielder Landry N'Guemo will miss the clash through suspension while Stephen McManus and Barry Robson did not travel south with the squad.
Arsenal 1/3, Draw 10/3, Celtic 6/1
