If it was not for an injury list as long as Arsene Wenger's arm, Arsenal would be a match for Manchester United. But the compromised team Wenger has been forced to field lacks the cutting edge necessary to be competitive at the top of the Premier League.

That is the opinion of Fulham captain Danny Murphy, whose energy and command in midfield proved pivotal in his side achieving a goalless stalemate at Emirates Stadium that had some disaffected Arsenal supporters calling for Wenger to go.

The 31-year-old former England international has seen enough of Arsenal down the seasons to be able to draw definite conclusions about their current plight.

“It's about strength in depth,” said Murphy. “If Arsenal have got everyone fit and Manchester United have got everyone fit, it is a good game. They could probably play each other 10 times and win five each.

“But if United lose two or three players, they've still got quality everywhere. They can mix it up.

“If Arsenal lose two or three, they're not the same team. I've been watching them a lot recently and what they do is play a lot of pretty football. But they don't have that cutting edge they once had with the likes of Thierry Henry, or since then, Emmanuel Adebayor and Cesc Fabregas.

With them not playing, you feel like you've got that bit more of a chance.”

Unless they win the Champions League, shot-shy Arsenal's chances of playing top-flight European football next season now look slim. Aston Villa's draw at home against Stoke yesterday means Martin O'Neill's men have consolidated their grip on the crucial fourth place in the table, six points ahead of Arsenal.

Increasing the pressure on Wenger following a fourth successive goalless League draw, the Gunners' worst run in the League since September 1994, is the looming presence of Everton, just two points behind in sixth place.

Wenger said: “We are not winning games that we should win. It is very difficult to assess what is technical, what is tactical and what is psychological.

“The best thing for me is not to make too big a problem of it.”

The problem is, others are doing that for him. Wenger heard the chorus of boos but said: “It doesn't worry me. What is important is that I do what I believe is right. We always go through difficult times. This is an opportunity to show that we are strong enough to deal with it.”

Wenger's patched-up team get the opportunity to demonstrate some semblance of strength at West Brom tomorrow night, when nothing less than three points will do.

But fit-again skipper Jonathan Greening believes West Brom can cause a shock if they draw inspiration from a previous victory against Arsenal.

The midfielder was part of the line-up that gained a shock 2-1 triumph over the Gunners three years ago in their last League meeting at the Hawthorns, with midfielder Darren Carter scoring a stunning goal.

Greening, who made his comeback from a knee injury in the weekend defeat at Everton, said: “People will say Arsenal will beat us but we have to go out there and put on a good performance and do our best.”