Arsenal given major Harry Kane warning after Tottenham annihilation that had Piers Morgan crowing

Arsenal face their first real test of their Champions League credentials when they come up against Harry Kane and Bayern Munich.

That’s the the view of European football journalist, Andy Brassell, who believes Wednesday night’s clash, live on talkSPORT, will give the Gunners a real idea of their European hopes this season.

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Mikel Arteta‘s side are flying high in the Premier League and their thumping 4-1 win over Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday moved them six points clear at the top of the league.

It has been a similar story in the Champions League so far, with the Gunners sitting second in the league phase table with four wins a possible four, and are yet to concede a single goal.

Victories over Athletic Bilbao, Olympiacos, Atletico Madrid and Slavia Prague put Arteta’s group in an ideal position with half of their league games played.

The only side ahead of them are Bayern Munich, who also boast a maximum 12 points, but lead the way based on goals scored.

With the two early leaders set to meet at the Emirates this week, both sides have a chance to prove their Champions League credentials with a big result.

‘You want that challenge’

And while Arsenal have acquitted themselves so far this term, talkSPORT’s Brassell warned they now face their biggest test yet against the German champions.

Managed by Manchester City icon Vincent Kompany, Bayern have made a blistering start to the season, winning 17 out of a possible 18 games in all competitions, drawing just once.

England captain Kane has been key to this, netting a staggering 24 goals in just 18 games altogether.

talkSPORT’s Brassell believes both Arsenal and Bayern’s impressive starts deservedly make them early favourites for Champions League glory.

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Speaking on the Trans Europe Express, he said: “If you know you’re a contender, you want that challenge. You want to really feel the edge and judge where you are.

“And Arsenal and Bayern are both within that group. 

“If you look at the start of the season, you’d probably say most people would have PSG, Barcelona and Real Madrid down as the favourites to win the Champions League all over again. And maybe Liverpool at the start of the season. 

“But actually, Arsenal and Bayern absolutely deserve to be within that group.”

While Brassell stressed that Arsenal look a different beast to the side that missed out on both domestic and European glory last term, he argued that same can be said of Bayern.

“Now, look, I know there are possible reservations about both of them for various reasons.

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“I think with Arsenal, you look at the fact that they weren’t quite able to make the most of the opportunities they had in the last couple of seasons. 

“They feel very different to me this season – I don’t just think it’s the squad. I think it’s the attitude. I think it’s the feeling around them. 

He continued: “I would say the same about Bayern and the way they came out of the traps this season.

“Now, it’s funny because they are several incarnations removed from Pep Guardiola’s Bayern whose aim, going back to when he was with Barcelona B, was to roll with a small squad. 

“And funnily enough, when Harry Kane was telling us: ‘Yeah, I think we’ve got a really quite small squad this season’, of course, they’ve still got Jamal Musiala [broken leg] and a few others to come back – Alphonso Davies, notably, in the New Year.

“But actually, maybe it’s working for them because they look so tight, and so well drilled and so on it.”

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Gunners flying high

Arsenal head into their Champions League clash with confidence at an all-time high, following their north London derby victory.

And it’s fair to say one of their most-famous supporters enjoyed the show, with lifelong fan Piers Morgan wasting no time in lording it over talkSPORT host and former Spurs man Jamie O’Hara.

Phoning talkSPORT Breakfast on Monday morning, Morgan gloated: “I would love to have a chat with Jamie.

“I can’t even imagine what it’s like being Jamie O’Hara this morning. It must be one of the worst feelings literally imaginable in the world. So my thoughts for Jamie at this difficult time. 

“Maybe given all your predictions about how Eze was going to be a waste of money, given how Arsenal have ruined the Premier League, they were never going to be the bride – all these things he’s been saying for the last few years. 

“Yesterday Jamie O’Hara in one glorious two-hour period of football was silenced. I hope forever.”

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‘Absolutely shocking’

Given the chance to respond, O’Hara could only give a damning verdict on Tottenham’s performance, which has seen head coach Thomas Frank come in for criticism for his defensive game-plan.

Asked for his thoughts on Spurs’ display at the Emirates, the talkSPORT host said: “Shocking. Absolutely shocking.

“One of the worst North London derbies I’ve ever watched. It was disgusting.

“I’d rather go through divorce again than watch that again. It was honestly it was an embarrassment to be even sat there and watch it. I wanted to turn it over. 

“There’s a couple of good programs on – countryfile and that was on.

“But I sat and watched it painfully watched it maybe thinking the second half would be different but it was a terrible display of football.”