Wenger: Red card 'difficult to understand'

Arsene Wenger said last night that the Arsenal captain, Patrick Vieira, may have to be rested for much of the title run-in as the manager struggled to accept the sending-off of his defender Sol Campbell.

The champions now face going into their final league games, and the FA Cup final, without two of their most powerful players. Vieira had to be substituted midway through the first-half because of the recurrence of a knee injury, an inflammation of the joint, which has troubled him for almost two months.

"It is a bit disturbing," Wenger said. "We have to rest him until he is free of pain. It is never a good time to be lose Patrick, but we have to be realistic."

On the dismissal of Campbell, for apparently elbowing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Wenger was animated. "It is completely unacceptable and difficult to understand," he argued.

"Everyone who knows Sol Campbell would know he would not do that on purpose." If the red card stands, the England player misses the FA Cup final and the last three league games.

"I admit I touched him," Campbell said, "but it wasn't deliberate. My whole season could hang on this."

Thierry Henry, who was the nearest Arsenal player, also questioned the decision. "The linesman was the nearest but it was strange because he did not seem to see what happened."

Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, said he thought the sending-off was warranted, adding: "I'm getting concerned about elbows. I really can see someone getting a serious injury."

Ferguson said that he now felt the pursuit of the championship would go "down to the wire", although he also suggested that Arsenal had the easier run-in. Mind games to the last.

"We have four games left, four difficult games," he said. "Arsenal have five and two or three are difficult." Ferguson added: "We got in first with a fantastic goal and I was surprised that we did not settle the issue because we were the best team."