LONDON: Wigan Athletic added to last week’s surprise victory over Premier League leaders Manchester United by beating third-place Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night.
Two early goals turned out to be enough for Roberto Martinez’s side to pull off an even more unexpected success which significantly improves their chances of avoiding relegation.
The Latics are now five points clear of third-bottom Bolton Wanderers, who have two games in hand, in a five-team tussle to avoid the drop.
The result was a blow to Arsene Wenger’s Gunners’ hopes of holding off the challenges of Tottenham and Newcastle and qualify for the Champions League in third place.
Had they won they would have been eight points clear of both rivals, who now each have a game in hand with which to lessen a five-point gap.
Wenger made one change from the side that had won 3-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, with Tomas Rosicky replacing Aaron Ramsey in midfield.
Wigan were unable to call upon forward Shaun Maloney, whose goal had inflicted defeat upon United on the same night, so Jordi Gomez returned to the starting line-up.
Thomas Vermaelen fired an early Arsenal effort wide before Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi tipped Yossi Benayoun’s header over after Bacary Sagan had picked out the Israeli in front of goal.
The corner, in the seventh minute, was easily cleared however – and Wigan scored on the counter attack.
Franco Di Santo was the scorer after Gomez had put him one on one with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. The Pole got a touch to the Argentine’s shot but the ball looped up and Di Santo was able to find the net before defenders could intervene.
It took Wigan all of a minute and a half to make it 2-0, with Gomez the scorer this time. Victor Moses turned Sagna and delivered a cross from the left that James McArthur could not convert at the near post but Szczesny was unable to grab the ball and Gomez was there in a flash to poke home.
The home fans were shocked into silence and Arsenal made a change straight away with Mikel Arteta, seemingly having injured a foot taking a free-kick, replaced by Ramsey in the ninth minute.
Al-Habsi was soon required to make another acrobatic save to keep out a header bound for the top corner, with Benayoun again the man denied when he met Rosicky’s cross.
However the Oman international didn’t even move when Vermaelen powered a header past him in the 21st minute, with the Belgian leaping unchallenged to meet Rosicky’s delivery from the right. (Agencies)
