Schalke enjoy Ruhr derby win as Arsenal looms

Schalke 04 midfielder Lewis Holtby has insisted the 'Royal Blues' have little time to enjoy their win over Borussia Dortmund as they prepare to face Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Schalke enjoyed a 2-1 win at neighbours and Bundesliga champions Dortmund on Saturday to claim their first Ruhr derby victory in five games, but victory was over-shadowed by 180 arrests after rioting by both sets of fans.

Arsenal are top of Group B after two wins ahead of Wednesday's clash at the Emirates Stadium with Schalke two points behind in second following a 2-1 win at Olympiacos and their 2-2 draw with Montpellier three weeks ago.

"The next important game in London is just around the corner, so we can't really enjoy this win," said Holtby after an impressive display at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park stadium in front of 80,645 fans.

"It will be a very difficult game. Arsenal are an absolutely top team and we will have to play at least as well as we did against Dortmund to take anything from London."

The Gunners have injury concerns ahead of Wednesday's showdown with eight players sidelined following their shock 1-0 Premier League defeat at Norwich City on Saturday.

Polish goalkeepers Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski are injured, while Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky, Laurent Koscielny, Abou Diaby, Kieran Gibbs and Bacary Sagna are all set to miss the Schalke game.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said only Gibbs had any chance of being fit, while both Germany forward Lukas Podolski and England's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also picked up injuries in Norwich.

Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewdes said his team had learned from their 2-2 draw at home to Montpellier in the last round of Champions League games when they conceded a late equaliser.

"Despite conceding a goal against Dortmund, we didn't lose our composure," said the defender.

"That impressed me, and shows that we have learnt our lesson from the game against Montpellier.

"It will not be easy for us, We will give it everything we have in London, but with our fans behind us, I am confident that we can achieve a good result."

Schalke coach Huub Stevens says his team are still learning, but the win at Dortmund will boost confidence for the trip to London.

"We started well and quickly went 2-0 up. I am proud of the guys," said the 58-year-old as Schalke saw off a late fight back from Dortmund after Poland striker Robert Lewandowski scored to make it 2-1 in the second-half.

"We were especially strong in the first-half.

"We coped well with the pressure in the final phase of the game.

"This team is still learning, but it has shown what it is capable of."

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