Van Persie was substituted during the Gunners' Carling Cup final defeat against Birmingham after suffering a knee injury while scoring the equaliser at Wembley.

Tomorrow's second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie, into which Arsenal take a slender 2-1 lead, was expected to come too soon for the Holland striker.

However, Van Persie trained with his team-mates at London Colney this morning and was part of the 19-man squad which left Luton Airport this afternoon.

The squad also included fit again skipper Cesc Fabregas who had been out with a hamstring problem.

While Fabregas is now certain to face the club he left as a teenager, Wenger revealed there would be no risks taken with 14-goal striker Van Persie, who has been plagued by injury setbacks in recent seasons.

"Van Persie is here as a player and will have a test tomorrow. We are 19 here in he squad. Whether Van Persie will be included has not been decided yet," Wenger said.

"He has made quick progress in the last three days. This morning he was really unlikely to travel.

"He wanted to have a go. We made a test and it was quite positive. We will see how he responds to that and I will make a decision tomorrow morning."

Wenger insisted he was "very bad at mind games", after Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola was asked if it was a surprise to see Van Persie in the travelling party.

However, the Gunners boss insisted: "We will not take a gamble in a game of that importance, so he will have to be fit or not fit.

"I would like him to play. But I will only play him if he is 100% fit."

Arsenal may have suffered the bitter disappointment of defeat in the Carling Cup final at Wembley to Birmingham, but they remain very much in the hunt to end their six-season trophy drought.

Manchester United's defeat at Liverpool leaves the Gunners just three points off the top of the Barclays Premier League, and with a game in hand.

They head to Old Trafford this weekend looking to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, and Wenger maintains win or lose tomorrow, the season will not be over.

He said: "We are on a very strong run, if you look at the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. We are doing very well.

"We are in a long unbeaten run of 11 games in the Premier League.

"Barcelona are a very difficult opponent, but we are in all the competitions and we just want to win tomorrow.

"If you speak to any player, they would give his life to win tomorrow."

Jack Wilshere has shaken off an ankle knock and is set to line up alongside Fabregas and probably Denilson in a midfield three tomorrow.

The England youngster has impressed Guardiola, and Wenger believes the 19-year-old is more than worthy of his chance this season, rather than just being a token home-grown member of the side.

"I play Jack because he is good enough to play and he deserves his place. I am long enough in the job to know that," the Arsenal manager said.

"It has nothing to do with what I have to deliver in England or whether I am under pressure or not."