Former Germany international Jens Lehmann has named Arsenal and Bayern Munich as the two best teams in the world at the moment.
He made the remark while predicting the Champions League clash between the two sides.
It could be Arsenal’s biggest test of the season when they face the Bundesliga title favourites at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.
Arsenal are currently six points clear at the top of the Premier League table, having lost just one of their first 12 league games and conceding only six goals.
Mikel Arteta’s team are the short favourites to lift the Premier League trophy for the first time since 2004.
They have also won four consecutive games in the Champions League without conceding a goal.
Like Arsenal, Bayern have already pulled six points clear in the Bundesliga title race.
They are also the highest scorers in Europe so far this season and one of only three teams with 12 points after four Champions League fixtures.
Lehmann believes the two clubs are the “two best teams in the world.”
Speaking to TZ München, the former Arsenal goalkeeper said: “The two best teams in the world currently will be facing each other. Both teams are playing at a top level right now.
I’ll be at the stadium. It will be interesting for me to see how both teams perform at different moments in the match.
I expect a very close game. Bayern did very well away in Paris [when they beat Champions League holders PSG 2-1], but if they want to press like that on Wednesday, Arsenal will play a bit differently.
That will be interesting. It’s a home game for Arsenal, so I see a slight advantage for them.”