Aaron Ramsey sealed the points for the Gunners with 5 minutes to go in Marseille after Walcott had been left unmarked at the far post to thrash home a searching cross – a goal that proved to be his last before injury.
The England winger suffered an abdominal injury before the next game at home to Stoke, and had not been used at all ahead of his 20 minute cameo against Southampton at the weekend.
Since that reverse fixture on the Continent, Arsenal have won 9 out of 14 games in all competitions, and now boast the 2nd best attack in the League as well as the 2nd best defence.
Similarly, Marseille have been in solid domestic form, with the 3rd best front line and 5th best defensive record leaving them precariously balanced in the 4th Ligue 1 Champions League spot.
Arsenal have lost just once in the Champions League group stage, winning the other 3 and leaving them top of Group F on 9 points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund by 3 points and ahead of Napoli having scored 2 goals more.
Our French opponents have lost all 4 games, leaving them without a hope of qualification after a 3-2 loss to the Italians last time out.
Team News
As aforementioned Theo Walcott could return at the Emirates having missed the last 14 matches with a stomach injury which saw him travel the globe in search of the best medical care on offer.
A successful operation in Germany has allowed the flying winger to make a swift recovery.
"Theo has different qualities to other players and I am very pleased that he's back," Wenger revealed on Arsenal's official website.
"Strikers who get behind the defenders is a very important quality and Theo has that quality."
French enforcer Mathieu Flamini will also re-join the ranks after suspension kept him out of the 2-0 win against Southampton at the weekend, after managing to collect 5 yellow cards since the beginning of the season.
Lukas Podolski has begun training again, however is unlikely to appear for another 2-3 weeks due to a lack of match fitness after the hamstring injury he picked up in bagging a brace away at Fulha earlier on in the season.
The injury list still remains significant for Arsene Wenger, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Abou Diaby both unlikely to appear again in 2013 with Yaya Sanogo also struggling for fitness.
Marseille Reserves
Arsenal can qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League for the 14th year in a row with a win against Marseille, however Arsene Wenger refuses to rule his countrymen out of the tie, insisting that the stats DO lie:
"They have quality, they are in a better period at the moment because they won their last two games and that makes them a dangerous team to play against," the Arsenal boss said.
"We know that Tuesday is a very big game in that final stage of the qualifiers. We have an opportunity to do it at home.
"You say 12 points may not be enough, it is true, but it might as well be enough and maybe already tomorrow, so let's get the 12 points."
And due to their sorry showing in Europe so far this season, manager Élie Baup has hinted that he could play a weakened team in North London:
“We're eliminated from the Champions League but we need to show some good things. It will perhaps be the occasion for some young players to gain some experience.”
But despite this, Spanish maestro Santi Cazorla is taking nothing for granted:
“The main problem I see is that everyone thinks that it's not going to be an easy game for us to win. There is nothing at stake for Marseille because they have zero points but they are going to make things difficult for us.”
Expected Line-up
Szczesny, Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs; Flamini Ramsey; Ozil Cazorla Wilshere; Giroud.
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