Wenger pitches in with Wigan whinge

He politely declined back in 1989, fearing a majority of his customers would then refuse to shop in his nationwide chain of sports stores. The decision, instead, to bankroll Wigan's rise to the Barclays Premier League turned out to be of considerable benefit to United yesterday.

Arsene Wenger would argue that the money Whelan has chosen not to invest at the JJB Stadium may have influenced the outcome of this season's title race.

That, a frustrated Wenger complained, has assisted United and proved costly to Arsenal. The pitch, he said, was a 'disaster' and 'disrespectful to fans who pay money to watch football here'.

Even Steve Bruce admitted it was 'awful' and Wenger was so incensed he suggested it made the Old Trafford pitch he recently branded a 'disgrace' look 'fantastic'. Wenger added: 'The only excuse is that a rugby team also plays on it. Either that or the groundsman is sick."

After watching his side perform so remarkably at San Siro last Tuesday, Wenger admitted that a trip to Wigan represented something of 'an anti-climax' before this contest had even kicked off. In the end, however, it became far more than that. This was Arsenal's third Premier League draw in succession and an invitation to United to regain top spot and the initiative.

While dropping points at Birmingham and Wigan as well as at home to Aston Villa should be a cause of some concern, Wenger dismissed the idea that his side will fail to reproduce their European form on the domestic stage.

But he admitted the title race is now 'tighter than ever' and bemoaned Arsenal's recent 'bad luck'. Better luck did, however, come in the form of Robin van Persie's timely return from injury. In fairness to Wenger, he did recognise that Whelan's money has been well spent in other areas here.

The team were a credit to their chairman as well as to a manager who has guided them not quite to safety but out of the bottom three.

A fourth clean sheet in five games and another precious point actually propelled them to 13th ahead of Newcastle and Reading on goal difference. It may also have convinced them they are good enough to remain in this League. That said, a foot injury Emile Heskey suffered when he kicked the sole of William Gallas's boot may amount to a major setback. Heskey requires a scan on the foot he fractured earlier this season.

Wenger praised Wigan for their spirit. "We gave absolutely everything," he said. "But Wigan deserve credit, too. They fought very hard."

Bruce, recalling how concerned he had been after taking over in December, said: "We lost 4-1 at Bolton and I thought if we weren't careful we could be cast adrift. We had to tighten up, defend well, and again today we've done that."

As Bruce rightly pointed out, this owed much to Chris Kirkland.

"He was as brave as a lion out there. He made save after save."

Two, in particular, should be studied by Fabio Capello before he selects his next England side.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Cesc Fabregas both found themselves with only Kirkland to beat but the once injury-prone goalkeeper responded magnificently, denying Adebayor in the first minute and Fabregas in the last. 'His chance with England has to come,' said Bruce, who also admitted that the pitch had been 'a leveller'.

"We know it's awful but at this stage there's not much we can do," he said.

"To be fair to the groundsman, he's out there 15 hours a day. He's obviously not doing too well but until June we can't really get at it."

The pitch and Wigan's determination aside, there were other problems for Arsenal here. Injuries forced Wenger to reshuffle his side and the deployment of Fabregas on the right wing for 65 minutes certainly undermined their chances of victory.

Here, after all, was a young Spanish midfielder who looked like a world-beater against AC Milan in midweek; a young midfielder who, assisted by the under-rated Mathieu Flamini, excelled in the company of Kaka and Co.

Yesterday, Jason Koumas proved more than a match for Fabregas on the flanks, the Spaniard's absence from the centre denying Arsenal the drive and dynamism he usually brings.

Flamini still performed well, but a midfield pairing of Flamini and Gilberto is unlikely to produce the kind of inspiration this occasion demanded. It was a day when Arsenal needed to make all the running, and while the pitch made passing frustratingly difficult, they still lacked urgency through the middle of the team.

As a consequence, opportunities to score were all too infrequent and those they did create were dealt with impressively by a goalkeeper who, Wenger should remember, was both paid for and is paid by Whelan.