Football: Wenger quells mutiny after sub blunder

Arsenal lose ground on leaders after 2-1 loss to United.

LONDON: Arsene Wenger was forced to quell talk of a mutiny at Arsenal after his costly mistake led to the Gunners’ 2-1 defeat against Manchester United.

The Frenchman made a huge blunder when he decided to send on Russia winger Andrey Arshavin in place of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the closing stages on Sunday. A lacklustre first-half performance from Arsenal ended with Antonio Valencia heading United into the lead, but Wenger’s injury-hit side gave a far better account of themselves in the second period and equalised when Robin van Persie finished off a move that swept the full length of the pitch.

Arsenal looked capable of snatching a winner at that point but Wenger took the wind out of his team’s sails by replacing Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had marked a dynamic first Premier League start by setting up van Persie’s goal, with Arshavin.

“You have an 18-year-old kid making his first Premier League start and a player who is captain of his country and they are querying the substitution,” said Wenger. “Let’s be serious. I’ve been a manager for 30 years and have made 50,000 substitutions. I do not have to justify every decision.”

In contrast, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson left north London confident that Premier League leaders Manchester City remain firmly in their sights.

“Winning after City won their game was the important thing,” said Ferguson. “And we’ve done it the right way, being adventurous and positive. I’m delighted with that.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2012.