Published: 31 March, 2013
by PAUL COWLING at the Emirates

Premier League
ARSENAL 1, MANCHESTER CITY 1

TWO home draws in succession, but what joy and encouragement Arsenal can get from the second one.

Gunners fans travelling to the Emirates will have been fearing the worst with rampant Mancheser City in town, but they certainly went away happy following a performance of grit in an entertaining 1-1 draw.

Mathieu Flamini's accidental knee might have floored Arsenal on Tuesday night, but the Frenchman scored at the right end this time to cancel out David Silva's 18th-minute opener.

"I thought Flamini did extremely well this evening. He brought us balance and quality," said Arsene Wenger after the match.

Wenger was delighted with his side's response after a difficult week.

"The team has been consistent. We had a nightmare game last week (against Chelsea) but we responded well today. 

"I thought we were remarkable considering the players we have out (injured).

"At 1-0 down you could see the team were ready for a fight."

A decent enough first half saw two evenly matched teams, though Arsenal failed to get a shot on target.

There was controversy when Tomas Rosicky looked to have been clipped by Pablo Zabaleta and went down in the box, but referee Michael Dean waved away frantic Arsenal penalty appeals. 

"I thought it was a penalty," said Wenger.

City were always dangerous on the break, and took the lead when Lukas Podolski lost possession, allowing David Silva to start and finish a counter attack. He fed Edin Dzeko, whose effort came off the post, but the Spanish international was there to tap in the rebound to make it 1-0 City.

Two minutes later Flamini had the ball in the net, but he was adjudged offside. Again, Wenger was sure the goal should have stood. "It didn't look offside," said the Frenchman.

The game really came alive early in the second half. On 51 minutes, Cazorla tested Hart with a shot that cannoned back into the danger zone but nobody in an Arsenal shirt was on hand to follow up. 

But boosted by their first effort on goal, Arsenal got the equaliser they deserved seconds later when Flamini made up for Tuesday night's howler against Swansea, with a neatly drilled left-foot effort that nestled in the right hand corner of Hart's goal. 

On the hour mark, Podolski had a great chance to put Arsenal ahead, but his goalbound effort was blocked by Hart and went out for a corner.

City regrouped and, all of a sudden, Arsenal were under the cosh. Szczesny tipped over a rasping long-range effort from Fernandinho.

Arsenal fans roared their side on with every attack. Olivier Giroud, who'd been quiet up until then, had a chance but his effort was well wide. He was soon replaced by Yaya Sanogo, while Oxlade-Chamberlain came on for Podolski.

The "Ox" caused the City defence problems with his power and running, and it was the title favourites who were glad to hear the final whistle.

Arsenal will have been disappointed with only the one point, and not just because it leaves Everton breathing down their necks. But the way they competed with City suggests they are equipped to ensure the Toffees don't pip them to fourth spot.

And, despite two points from the last nine, the Gunners boss still believes his side had a chance of a shot at the title.

"We will fight until the end of the season," said Wenger. "Mathematically we are still in there.

"We have to look above us and below us."

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Flamini, Rosicky, Arteta, Cazorla, Giroud (Sanogo 85), Podolski (Oxlade-Chamberlain 79)
Subs not used: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Källström, Bellerín, Gnabry
Attendance: 60,060

ARSENAL COMMENT by PAUL COWLING

THE match programme for the Manchester City game included "Arsene Wenger's 1000 Games" – an insert that at first looked like the Emirates Stadium seating plan. That was because it was shaped (inadvertently) like Arsenal's shiny ground, and all the wins were colour-coded red. And there were a lot of them! Grey were draws and blue were losses, by the way.

Credit Wenger for all those swathes of red. He has been a fantastic manager for Arsenal – the greatest since Herbert Chapman, and Arsenal fans are in danger of forgetting that.

It was such a shame that the 1-1 draw with City couldn't have been that 1,000 game. Arsenal might not have won, but they won back their fans with a spirited performance. 

How cruel that game 1,000 was that 6-0 thumping. Wenger didn't deserve that. He is an icon of the English game and has given so much to it since taking charge all those years ago. 

There's also the question of a new contract, which Wenger is stalling on… for now.

Wenger might not even sign a new contract and that would be the end of a glittering managerial career at Arsenal.