Manchester United's Wayne Rooney (left) watches as his shot is saved by Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford stadium, Manchester, England, yesterday. United won 2-1. - AP Photos
MANCHESTER, England (AP):
The Professor didn't turn to complex calculations or the tactics' table to determine where it all went wrong for Arsenal for a fourth straight season.
Arsene Wenger concluded that his failure to recapture the Premier League title is simply down to being unlucky.
Ditto for European play.
The week when the Arsenal manager's Champions League ambitions were extinguished by Liverpool worsened yesterday when Manchester United rallied for a 2-1 victory that wiped out any lingering hopes for a domestic championship.
And just like at Anfield, his side was done in by a late disputed refereeing decision after dominating the first half.
"I'm very proud of my team and we have to continue producing the kind of football we produce and not always be unlucky," Wenger said. "We played very well at Liverpool and today five days later. With all the things that went against us recently we have to be exceptionally strong to produce a performance like we did here."
Making amends
Arsenal were determined to make amends for February's humiliating 4-0 FA Cup defeat to United, which triggered a slump that saw the club lose a five-point lead atop the league.
Emmanuel Adebayor gave his team hope by giving Arsenal the lead three minutes after the break, nudging the ball over the line with what appeared to be his arm.
But Cristiano Ronaldo equalised on a penalty six minutes later after William Gallas blocked the ball with his hand and Owen Hargreaves curled a free kick into the net in the 72nd, with Jens Lehmann stranded at the far post.
Wenger criticized referee Howard Webb for giving that free kick, after Gilberto was deemed to have fouled Patrice Evra. Wenger struck a similar tune after a disputed late penalty against Liverpool sent Arsenal out of the Champions League on Tuesday.
"I believe defensively we played quite well," Wenger said. "We lost on a penalty you can give it, you can not give it, but we are used to it now. On the free kick he didn't touch him, Gilberto. I believe these two decisions made of course a big difference."
Arsenal emerged as the team to beat early in the season with a scintillating display of offensive-minded soccer before the talented - but small - squad ran out of steam.
Very difficult
"The difference between success and failure this season was very little and in the end we have to accept we won't win the title," Wenger said. "It's very difficult to swallow because we don't think there's a difference in the technical quality between us, Chelsea and Manchester United."
Chelsea trail United by six points, but have a game in hand. Arsenal are now nine points behind the United, after holding a five-point lead in February.
"The last two months, we have been not very lucky and you could see that again," Wenger said. "The confidence has dropped a little bit going through a difficult period in the last two months.
"You can't fault the spirit, which has been exceptional. When you get knock after knock it's difficult to take."
Despite the lack of trophies, Wenger insists his players' silky soccer is beneficial for everyone.
"We feel that we have done a lot for the promotion of the Premier League all over the world," he said. "We want to continue playing that way, as well as playing better. The trophies will come, there is a thin margin between winning and losing.
"We have to look beyond the fact the winner is praised beyond reason and the team that doesn't win is also slaughtered beyond reason. Football is something more than that."
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SUNDAY, APRIL 13
Liverpool's Fernando Torres celebrates his goal during their English Premier League soccer match against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, yesterday.
LIVERPOOL 3 BLACKBURN 1
GOALS: LIVERPOOL: GERRARD 60th; TORRES 82nd; VORONIN 90th. BLACKBURN: SANTA CRUZ 90th.
Fernando Torres scored his 30th goal of the season as Liverpool outfought Blackburn to strengthen their grip on fourth place in the Premier League. Steven Gerrard, who had a penalty appeal turned down after he was clipped by Brad Friedel, broke the deadlock with a cool finish in the second half. Torres met Gerrard's deep cross with a precise header to make it 2-0 before Andrei Voronin slid home a third. Roque Santa Cruz hooked in a late reply for Blackburn, who were well beaten.
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 ARSENAL 1
GOALS: UNITED: ROANLDO PEN 54th; HARGREAVES 72nd. ARSENAL: ADEBAYOR: 48th.
And then there were two. A pulsating game saw Arsenal's hopes of winning the title effectively end, meaning that Chelsea are the only team that can stop United from claiming a second successive trophy. Emmanuel Adebayor nodded the Gunners ahead but after William Gallas handled, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 37th goal of the season from the penalty spot and then Owen Hargreaves scored his first ever goal at Old Trafford from a 25 yard free kick.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
BIRMINGHAM 1 EVERTON 1
GOALS: BIRMINGHAM: ZARATE 83rd. EVERTON: LESCOTT 78th.
Mauro Zarate's late free-kick rescued a point for relegation-threatened Birmingham and dented Everton's hopes of finishing fourth. Liam Ridgewell volleyed over from six yards before Cameron Jerome headed against the Everton woodwork. Tim Howard made sensational one-handed saves to deny Radhi Jaidi and James McFadden before Joleon Lescott headed Everton in front from close range.
But Zarate struck a curling equaliser after a handball by Lee Carsley.
BOLTON 1 WEST HAM 0
GOALS: BOLTON: DAVIES 47th.
Kevin Davies earned Bolton three priceless points against West Ham in a lively encounter at the Reebok Stadium. They should have led by half-time as Davies saw two headers cleared off the line and El-Hadji Diouf had a goal ruled out for offside. Davies finally found the net after the break, poking home after Jonathan Spector had impeded his own goalkeeper.
DERBY 0 ASTON VILLA 6
GOALS: VILLA: YOUNG 25th; CAREW 29th; PETROV 36th; BARRY 58th; AGBONLAHOR 76th; HAREWOOD 85th.
Aston Villa hammered Derby at Pride Park to plunge the relegated Rams's season into an embarrassing new low. Derby keeper Roy Carroll had a torrid first-half, failing to clear Ashley Young's free-kick for Villa's first. John Carew drilled in seconds later before Stiliyan Petrov expertly lashed Carroll's hideously skewed clearance into the top corner from 45 yards. Gareth Barry slotted in after half-time then Gabriel Agbonlahor and Marlon Harewood tucked away to end the rout.
PORTSMOUTH 0 NEWCASTLE 0
David James' point-blank save denied Michael Owen to salvage a point for Portsmouth after the south-coast side failed to close in on fifth position. Newcastle had threatened when Geremi's long-range shot and Mark Viduka's volley forced good saves from James. Harry Redknapp's side also came close to a goal with second-half chances from both Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe. But it was a great save off the face of James that denied Owen from scoring the best of the game's few chances.
READING 0 FULHAM 2
GOALS: FULHAM: MCBRIDE 23rd; NEVLAND 90th.
Fulham sealed their first away win in 33 matches against fellow strugglers Reading to keep alive their hopes of avoiding Premier League relegation. Brian McBride fired home a Simon Davies cross from close range on 23 minutes to give the visitors a deserved lead. Fulham hit the bar three times in the second-half before Erik Nevland scored the decisive second, driving home from 15 yards in the final minute. Reading's best chance came when Kevin Doyle headed just wide on 40 minutes.
SUNDERLAND 1 MANCHESTER CITY 2
GOALS:-SUNDERLAND: WHITEHEAD 82th. CITY: ELANO PEN 79th; VASSELL 87th.
Darius Vassell's scuffed winner gave Manchester City victory over Sunderland after a dramatic final 10 minutes. City were under the cosh until Nyron Nosworthy tangled with Daniel Sturridge in the area and Elano stepped up to fire home the penalty. Sunderland levelled immediately when Andy Reid crossed for Dean Whitehead to volley home at the near post. But City won it when Elano slid Vassell clear and his shot bobbled past Craig Gordon and into the corner of the net.
TOTTENHAM 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 1
GOALS:-TOTTENHAM: GROUNS OG 27th. BORO: DOWNING 69th.
Stewart Downing's 30-yard strike earned Middlesbrough a draw at White Hart Lane after a Jonathan Grounds own goal had given Spurs the lead. Spurs dominated the first half and went ahead when Grounds diverted Aaron Lennon's volley beyond Mark Schwarzer. Boro equalised when Downing's long-range effort deflected off Jenas's head and into the top corner.
