Peerless: Wigan Athletic goalscorers Franco Di Santo (left) and Jordi Gomez celebrate at the Emirates Stadium after adding Arsenal's scalp to Manchester United's and Liverpool's
One of Arsène Wenger’s favourite instructions to his young Arsenal team is that they should always play with what he calls the handbrake off. They certainly did just that on Monday night but, in Wigan Athletic, they unexpectedly found themselves careering into an immovable object.
Two goals in the space of 60 seconds ultimately decided this game in Wigan’s favour, with Arsenal punished for a reckless and often kamikaze approach. Yet with the two teams sharing almost 50 shots during the 90 minutes, it was a match which could, in all truth, have ended with just about any scoreline.
The final outcome has huge implications for both the top and bottom of the Premier League table. Wigan, who had been in the relegation zone from December until last week’s win over Manchester United, have opened a five point cushion over Bolton in 18th. The race for the two remaining Champions League places is also now wide open, with Tottenham and Newcastle able to move within two points of Arsenal in third should they win their game in hand.
Arsenal began the match as they evidently intended to continue by attacking from just about every position with Thomas Vermaelen, their centre-back, flashing a shot narrowly wide of Ali Al-Habsi’s post. Bacary Sagna and Andre Santos were also pushing forward from their full-back positions in an obvious attempt to exploit Wigan’s bold 3-4-3 formation.
Such adventure almost gained an instant reward as Yossi Benayoun forced an acrobatic save from Al-Habsi following an accurate Sagna cross. Arsenal remained on the front-foot and quickly forced a corner but, not for the first time this season, proved to be at their most vulnerable when they are on the attack.
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