Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal go to German champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash (7.45pm kick-off).

The Gunners got back to winning ways last weekend with a 2-0 win over Hull at the Emirates, with Alexis Sanchez becoming the Premier League’s top-scorer with both goals in the victory.

It means that Wenger’s men take some confidence to the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, although Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern have been in splendid form so far this term.

The German giants are once again top of the Bundesliga having lost just one of their 20 league games this term, winning 15.

Ancelotti’s men are also unbeaten at home this season, having won seven of their 10 league games, both of their German Cup matches, and all three of their Champions League group games thus far.

In fact, they haven’t lost at home since March of last year when Mainz produced a stunning 2-1 win in the Bundesliga, so it’s clear that Arsenal have got quite the challenge awaiting them on Wednesday night.

However, the Gunners know that they are capable of beating Bayern, and here are THREE reasons why they will do just that on Wednesday…

Huge win on Saturday

After back-to-back league defeats, it was absolutely imperative that Arsenal started off a pivotal week with victory over Hull on Saturday.

And, although it wasn’t pretty, they got the job done thanks to two Alexis Sanchez goals, one at the end of either half.

There was a lot said last week about Wenger’s future at the club, like how long he may have left, yet many neglected to look at this week as key in their season, and potentially the manager’s future.

With Hull, Bayern Munich, and Sutton United in the space of nine days, their participation in three competitions comes down to their displays and results this week, so to get off to the perfect start with three points on Saturday was huge.

There is no better way of raising confidence levels by winning games, and the Gunners are sure to be buoyed by the win on Saturday when they travel to Munich on Wednesday.

Sanchez continues to shine

Photo: Paul Roberts / Offside.

Two more goals for Alexis Sanchez at the weekend took his tally to 17 in the Premier League, in turn becoming the top-scorer in the division ahead of Everton’s Romelu Lukaku.

Add in two goals in the Champions League earlier in the season, as well as 11 assists in all competitions, and it’s clear that the 28-year-old is absolutely pivotal to Arsenal, and will be again if they are to beat Bayern on Wednesday.

Sanchez has failed to contribute a goal or an assist in just one of his last eight appearances for the Gunners, and when someone is in that type of form, they are very difficult to stop.

His importance to the side was once again highlighted at the weekend with both goals in the 2-0 win over Hull, and Wenger will need his best player to continue to shine at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

They’ve done it before

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

It’s not as if Arsenal are going to Bayern trying to win there before for the first time, because they have actually beaten the German giants twice in their last five meetings.

Wenger’s men won 2-0 at the Emirates in last year’s group stage campaign, albeit were thumped 5-1 at the Allianz two weeks later, and they also produced a splendid performance to win 2-0 in Munich back in March 2013, although lost on the away goals rule.

Nonetheless, the Gunners are sure to take confidence from those two victories ahead of Wednesday’s clash, and they’ve also got the added security of having the home leg second this time, as opposed to recent meetings with the German champions.

The last two knock-out clashes between the two has seen Arsenal comfortably lose the first leg at home, and leave themselves too much to do in the second, but on both occasions they have performed well in Germany, winning 2-0 in 2013, and drawing 1-1 in 2014.

They’ve done it before and, given that Bayern have arguably not been as good this season under Carlo Ancelotti as in previous campaigns, the Gunners know that they can go there and get a famous victory.