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MAC BACK TO FACE GUNNERS

It's McClaren v Wenger in the Champions League.

Steve McClaren faces the searching examination of a Champions League clash with Arsenal, just weeks into his first managerial post since being sacked by England.

McClaren probably thought he was taking a step out of the limelight after his England ordeal by opting for the quieter life in Holland.

But before the new season has even started the former national coach will be facing the full glare of the European spotlight with his new Dutch club, FC Twente.

Arsenal will be more than happy with a third qualifying round tie with the Enschede club, while Liverpool will be equally happy after being drawn with Belgian champions Standard Liege in their first appearance in the Champions League.

As for McClaren, taking his new charges to the Emirates Stadium suggests Twente's involvement with the big boys will not last long.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez will be pleased with a trip to Liege first, with the second leg at Anfield.

The two-legged ties will be played on August 12 and 13 and August 26 and 27.

Pundit Ray Wilkins, the former England captain told Sky Sports News that McClaren was facing his "worst nightmare".

McClaren would not go that far, but admitted: "Of all the teams we could have had, that is one of the toughest. Obviously we looked at the prospect of facing Arsenal, Liverpool, Juventus or Schalke and we got one of the most difficult.

"In one respect it is a tough draw for us, on the other it is now an opponent we know very well, not just myself, everyone in Holland knows the Premier League well so Arsenal will be no strangers to us.

"This is a reward for a great achievement last season in reaching this stage, to get one of the big teams.

"It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I am sure our fans will be delighted."

His club will not be able to use their own ground for the first leg due to improvement work, and the search is on for a different venue.

McClaren said: "As soon as I joined Twente I knew we had the draw coming up, and strangely I expected one of the English teams. I think fate deals you certain cards and it has dealt us this draw.

"On one hand it is very, very tough for us but on the other it is very exciting."

Liverpool, finalists twice in four years, face a Liege side who are making their Champions League debut, having not won their domestic title for 25 years until last term.

Laszlo Boloni's side went on a 31-match unbeaten run to lift the crown, but they will not relish facing the likes of Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane.

Their 30,000-seater home, the Stade Maurice Dufrasne, will be bulging at the seams for this one but it is hard to see how they will stop Liverpool reaching the group stages.

Liverpool have played Standard once before, back in 1965-66 when they beat them in both legs of a Cup Winners' Cup first-round tie, 3-1 at Anfield and 2-1 in Belgium. Roger Hunt, Ian St John, Chris Lawler and Peter Thompson scored the goals for Bill Shankly's side.

That season Liverpool reached the final in Glasgow before losing to Borussia Dortmund.

Former Liverpool star Ronny Rosenthal will have mixed emotions over the tie. He joined Liverpool from Standard - also nicknamed the Reds and with a fans' group called the Kop Reds - in 1990.

He told www.liverpoolfc.tv: "It's a very good draw for Liverpool.

"There were some tough trips in that draw so a short journey to Belgium will suit Rafael Benitez and his side and I think it is a comfortable pairing."

He added: "Liege won the league last season for the first time since 1983 and it will be their first time in the Champions League.

"They have got some good players, although there are not any really big names that people in England would know too much about.

"The Brazilian Igor de Camargo is a threat and they have couple of good young Belgian players like Steven Defour, but I do not think they will be able to cope against the likes of Fernando Torres, Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard."

The 44-year-old admits his heart was torn when he first heard the draw and although he would like Liege to put up a good showing, he says his true allegiance lies with the English Reds.

He said: "Obviously I want Liverpool to win and progress overall.

"But I would not mind Standard getting a good result in the first leg. I will be going to the game in Belgium and I hope to be at Anfield too."

Both Arsenal and Liverpool will expect to make it to through to the draw for the group stage, which will take place in Monaco on August 28.

Rangers or FBK Kaunas will play either Aalborg or Modrica.

McClaren may not be the only British coach returning to the United Kingdom in the competition as former Arsenal boss Bruce Rioch is currently in charge of Aalborg, the 2008 Danish SuperLiga champions.

Assuming their 5-0 first-leg lead over Bosnian side Modrica after the first leg is enough to progress, former Scotland captain Rioch will be faced with a trip to Ibrox to face Rangers.

Irish champions Drogheda will take on Spartak Moscow if they reverse a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kiev.

The British clubs managed to avoid Spain's Atletico Madrid, the strongest of the unseeded teams, as they were paired with German outfit Schalke.

Elsewhere in the draw Barcelona have been offered a comfortable passage into the group stage after being drawn against the winner of the second-round encounter between Beitar Jerusalem and Wisla Krakow.

Italian giants Juventus will face either Tampere or Artmedia, Fiorentina face Czech champions Slavia Prague and Galatasaray were paired with Steaua Bucharest.