ARSENE WENGER has every confidence Vito Mannone holds the ‘‘mental strength’’ to put his Champions League nightmare behind him when he returns to top-flight European action in Montpellier tonight.

Wojciech Szczesny suffered an ankle injury in the 6-1 Premier League win over Southampton at the weekend, which was his first game back since a rib problem.

The Italian had kept two clean sheets, at Stoke and Liverpool, deputising for the Poland international earlier this season – in marked contrast to his last European performance for the Gunners, when he produced a calamitous display in the defeat at Olympiacos last December.

A productive four-month loan spell at Championship side Hull built up the confidence of the 24-year-old once again, though, and Wenger has no issue with throwing Mannone straight into the action at Stade La Mosson.

‘‘Vito is very close (to the Arsenal number one jersey), and he gets another opportunity now,’’ said Wenger.

‘‘He has belief and he has the mental strength to deal with that.’’ Behind Mannone, 21-yearold Academy product James Shea will take an unexpected place on the bench tonight.

‘‘He was on the list as goalkeeper number five at the beginning of the season and now he is number two. That shows you how quickly football can change,’’ said Wenger.