Gallas trying to keep the peace as Adebayor row simmers on

William Gallas has been forced to become mediator as the row between Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor continues to simmer.

Adebayor publicly claimed that the pair were firm friends again after his infamous head-butt during Arsenal's 5-1 mauling at Tottenham in the Carling Cup semifinal last Tuesday, but relations between the pair only remain 'cordial' in private.

Club captain Gallas, along with manager Arsene Wenger, is determined to patch up team spirit as the club compete for the Premier League title and is acting as a gobetween in an attempt to heal the rift.

Wenger has already spoken at length to Gallas about the problems in the Arsenal dressing room and the pair are determined to patch things up between the two strikers.

Adebayor referred to last week's clash as when "a child falls out with his father", something that has been interpreted as an oblique reference to his seniority in the Arsenal squad.

The Togo striker was mobbed by teammates when he scored twice in Arsenal's 3-0 victory over Newcastle in the FA Cup on Saturday and Arsenal will rely on him to repeat the trick against Kevin Keegan's side again this evening.

Newcastle were well beaten in the end, but Wenger has warned his team that Michael Owen, who scored twice for Liverpool to win the FA Cup Final against Arsenal in 2001, is still a world class finisher.

Wenger, who will be without hamstring victim Tomas Rosicky, said: "Owen has been out for a few games and it takes a few games to get back.

"You still feel if you make a mistake, he will be there. His runs are intelligent and the quality is still there. He is not yet at 100 per cent, but that is normal."