Burnley defender Leon Cort insists they will not be holding back on their tackles against Arsenal on Saturday.
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Last weekend, Arsene Wenger criticised Stoke for an over-physical approach after the 3-1 victory at the Britannia Stadium, prompted by Ryan Shawcross' challenge on Aaron Ramsey which left the teenager with a double break of his right leg.

However, Cort said neither that tackle nor Wenger's comments would have any bearing on their approach at the Emirates Stadium.

"We haven't really spoken about that," said Cort, a team-mate of Shawcross until his £1.5million January move.

"We are going to go there and still throw tackles in because it is a physical game and we are fighting for our lives.

"I don't believe anyone goes there to kick them. People know that when they play against Arsenal they have to get in their faces and stop them from playing.

"Maybe Arsene's done it for a psychological advantage. Quite a lot of his players are small and move the ball a lot quicker so there are going to be a lot of mis-timed tackles.

"A lot of teams try to get tight to them and put them under pressure when they get the ball as if they don't they will punish you.

"The only effect it (Ramsey's injury) will have on them is that they are going to want to win the game for him on Saturday. We just have to be strong and try to get what we can."

Manager Brian Laws accepts he cannot expect to play Arsenal off the pitch and so his side will adopt a more pragmatic approach.

However, he was keen to stress his players would be physical without overstepping the mark.

"What I don't think we can do is beat them at their own game. We have to play our own game and not try to copy theirs," he said. "If you try to play their way invariably what you get is nothing.

"We can't play their system so we have to level it up somehow and that is by working harder than them. We just have to make sure our challenges are spot-on."

Laws added: "I think everyone seems to be focusing on the Ramsey scenario - and no-one wishes an injury like that on anyone.

"Arsene Wenger has mentioned the fact and so it gets scrutinised even more but we can't worry about that as long as we go in there and challenge fairly and be strong.

"People talk about 'getting in their faces' and if that is what it takes then that is what we will have to do, but you can still tackle well and still tackle with authority and purpose without being dirty or over-the-top.

"I don't believe any team targets Arsenal. I think he (Wenger) has been hard done-by in losing three players to broken legs in a relatively short space of time. I think he is more angry about that than anything else but I don't think he can accuse anyone of doing it deliberately.

"Shawcross is a strong tackler but when you look at it there was no malice in it - it was more bad timing."

Arsenal have renewed fears over the fitness of William Gallas after Arsene Wenger conceded the defender suffered a recurrence of a calf injury after being "pushed" to return by the club.

Gallas has not played for Arsenal since a 1-0 victory over Liverpool on February 10 and his recovery was interrupted in training ahead of Tuesday's Champions League tie with Porto as he suffered a setback in his fitness.

It is the latest fitness conundrum for the Arsenal medical team to deal with having seen a substantial number of first-team players sidelined for varying lengths of time in recent seasons.

Wenger has admitted culpability after pushing the 32-year-old to return and reports indicate Gallas could now be missing for a further month. In his absence, Sol Campbell is expected to start against Porto as Arsenal aim to overcome a 2-1 first-leg defeat.

"We are at the starting point with Gallas unfortunately," Wenger said. "He felt very well yesterday and went out training, but he has gone backwards again. We don't know how long it will be, but for Hull on Saturday he has no chance.

"We were impatient with him and we pushed him and he wanted to get on as well, which is why maybe it has happened. There is no obvious sign as to why it keeps coming back. He has no pain at all, then goes for a little jog and then it goes again.

"It was unexpected that Sol would play so many games, but it is also good because I think it was the right decision to bring him back. Sol is a guy who gives everything when he is on the pitch. Can his body still take two or three games in a week? Who knows.

"But we have a good mixture with him and [Mikael] Silvestre because he is also a player who gives everything, so we can rotate them. The only problem is that when you play with two left-footed players sometimes Vermaelen is not always in his best position."

Arsenal are also missing captain Cesc Fabregas for Tuesday's game against Porto after the Spaniard sustained a hamstring injury in a 3-1 win over Burnley at the weekend. Wenger decided against gambling with the player's fitness but Fabregas admits he was keen to play as Arsenal seek a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

"I wanted to play but the doctors recommended I rest and avoid any risk," Fabregas told the Sun. "I am sad to miss out because Porto is important to us. I will suffer far more than usual, having to watch from the side."

Arsenal approach the Porto game in good spirits following a comprehensive win against Burnley, but the margin of victory on Saturday could have been much greater but for some wayward finishing from Nicklas Bendtner, who missed a succession of golden opportunities.

The Dane - who has scored five goals in a season disrupted by injury - has seen his ability and prowess questioned in the press, but Wenger believes Bendtner is progressing well at Arsenal and that the ultra-confident striker will not let Saturday's disappointment affect him.

"I believe he is on the way up in his game and in terms of his contribution," Wenger said. "He missed some big chances on Saturday, but that is needed for any young striker at some stage. He looks at why he missed the chances and gets it right in the next game.

"Nicklas is really improving at the moment. That was just an isolated game. In every competition you always have something to prove and show how good you are. He has a good mental strength and, even if he was disappointed with the chances he missed, it will not diminish his desire and confidence to going to the next game."