Football: Wenger salutes United

Arsenal 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

PHIL SHAW

Arsenal 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

After weeks of trading tirades with Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger saluted Manchester United as "worthy champions" in the light of events at Anfield and Highbury. However suspiciously the words are scrutinised at Old Trafford, the compliment seemed to transcend kidology.

With Arsenal five points behind the leaders, having played a game more, the Frenchman was injecting a note of realism into the title race rather than throwing in the towel. Anything less than victory at Coventry tonight will render his team, along with Liverpool, dependent on an implausible collapse during United's run-in of four games in nine days.

Even if his reading of the situation is right, the stakes are high at Highfield Road. A place in the European Cup, under the ludicrous rule change which allows entry to the runners-up, would be a prestigious and lucrative reward for a season in which Wenger has begun reinventing Arsenal.

"There is a gap [between Arsenal and United] but over the year we did well," said Wenger, his choice of the past tense revealing. "We could have closed it if David Seaman had not been injured. He would have saved us another three points.

"But tonight we have the new champions of 1997, and we must congratulate them. They are the best team and worthy champions. We'll try to close the gap - seven or eight clubs have the potential to do that - but this time we've lost too many at home."

Those looking for scapegoats attributed Arsenal's latest Highbury failure to a combination of bad sportsmanship by Chris Sutton moments before the stoppage-time equaliser and Mike Riley's weak refereeing (although all nine yellow cards were justified).

The truth was that when they needed a fever-pitch performance, Arsenal were incapable of rising above slight-temperature pitch. Blackburn, trailing to David Platt's goal, had enjoyed the better of a fractious second half when Tim Sherwood's nasty late tackle left Stephen Hughes writhing.

After the match re-started with a throw-in, Sutton broke an unwritten law by harrying Nigel Winterburn into conceding a corner. Garry Flitcroft met the kick to score with a corking half-volley.

Tony Parkes, adding candour to the list of his qualifications to be caretaker manager of the year, admitted his player did not act "in the spirit of the game". He also claimed, to some incredulity, that Sutton, "a simple lad", had simply forgotten what caused the hold-up.

Wenger, sounding curiously like an MCC backwoodsman, bemoaned the passing of "English fair play". Typically, he was more concerned about the slack marking, though Arsenal's defence, conspicuously leaner than of old, have actually conceded 10 fewer goals than United.

Blackburn's desire to slug it out meant the circumstances were not ideal for Arsenal's vaunted new values of freedom and flair. Playing under pressure for the first time in weeks due to United's success, they reverted to old habits, relying on collective efficiency and betraying a tendency to become embroiled in formation jostling.

Even so, Patrick Vieira shone like a beacon of the cultural revolution, doubling as an elegant springboard for counter-attacks and a vigilant protector of a back line who no longer make more fuss about coming out than Michael Barrymore.

Hughes, 20 and learning fast from the thirtysomethings around him, was tidy and tireless ("Our best man's gone on a stretcher," a spectator called out, "and our worst's scored"). Wenger promises more youthful signings.

Graeme Le Saux, a veritable veteran of 28, is also likely to interest him. Omitted by Blackburn amid mutterings about commitment, he could lose his England place against Georgia should Glenn Hoddle feel unable to pick someone not playing regularly. The fighting spirit shown in his absence suggested that Le Saux might have played his last game for the club.

They need another win to ensure that Jack Walker's would-be Wenger, Roy Hodgson, does not find a fixture list littered with names like Bury and Crewe. Three home games offer ample opportunity, while the fact that Blackburn have now drawn at the homes of the top three indicates capabilities on which the man from Milan must build.

Goals: Platt (19) 1-0; Flitcroft (90) 1-1.

Arsenal (3-5-2): Seaman; Keown, Adams, Bould; Dixon, Platt, Vieira, Hughes (Parlour, 89), Winterburn; Bergkamp, Wright. Substitutes not used: Merson, Anelka, Marshall, Lukic (gk).

Blackburn Rovers (5-3-2): Flowers; Kenna (Pedersen, 82), Berg, Hendry, Pearce, Wilcox; Sherwood, McKinlay, Flitcroft; Gallacher, Sutton. Substitutes not used: Donis, Croft, Warhurst, Given (gk).

Referee: M Riley (Leeds).

Bookings: Arsenal: Wright, Bergkamp, Vieira, Dixon. Blackburn: Sherwood, McKinlay, Pearce, Sutton, Wilcox.

Man of the match: Hughes.

Attendance: 38,086.