'All I felt was a little tired, the normal tiredness you feel after a game,' said Bergkamp.

'I had been out five weeks and, although I have been able to train normally and hard for the last ten days, it is good to have match fitness. The idea was to play for an hour but I could have carried on for longer without a problem.

'The manager watched me and he knows I am fit. I hope to be included. I missed out in 1998 because of injury and you think then that you won't get another chance. But here it is and, hopefully, I will be involved.'

Bergkamp also made it clear that, if given his his chance when Wenger names his starting line-up, he will not be overawed by the occasion.

'No, I love these games,' he said. 'Maybe it is something to do with growing up in Holland where there are not many big games. But in big games, I think I have proved in the past that I love them with the way I have played.'