Arsenal fans furious at Wenger over 'match losing' substitution

Arsenal 1 Manchester United 2. Arsene Wenger's reputation suffered what might prove an irreparable blow as Manchester United inflicted on Arsenal their third consecutive league defeat – the Gunners' worst run since April 2007.

It wasn't so much the 2-1 scoreline that called into question Wenger's credibility, but his decision on 73 minutes to substitute Arsenal's most effective player –  Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – and replace him with Andrey Arshavin, a switch that effectively cost his side the match.

Within seven minutes of his arrival, the Russian gifted United their winning goal, offering scant resistance as Antonio Valencia danced past him and squared to Danny Welbeck whose fierce shot gave Wojciech Szczesny no chance.
 
It was what United deserved, having dominated the first half and gone ahead on the stroke of half-time when Valencia was allowed too much time to rise high and head home Ryan Giggs's inch-perfect cross.

Arsenal picked up their game in the second half, with 18-year-old Oxlade-Chamberlain showing up his more illustrious teammates – particularly the feeble Theo Walcott – with his commitment and creativity. He had a major hand in Arsenal's equaliser on 71 minutes, picking up Laurent Koscielny's long ball, and threading it through to Robin van Persie, who finished clinically with an angled shot that just squeezed in at United's far post.
 
Oxlade-Chamberlain's reward for his display was to be dragged off two minutes later, a decision that was greeted with disbelief by fans as well as by Van Persie. The Dutch striker appeared to shout 'No' when he realised what was happening, a sentiment echoed by the Arsenal faithful who greeted the change with a chorus of boos.

The boos soon turned to howls of derision as Arshavin allowed Valencia the freedom of the Emirates and Welbeck duly restored United's lead.

The result means that United are now three points behind Manchester City (who earlier in the day beat Tottenham 3-2) at the top of the table with Arsenal in fifth, level on points with Newcastle and five points shy of fourth-placed Chelsea.

With Liverpool also vying to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions league, Wenger faces a serious challenge if he is to maintain his record of having qualified for Europe's premier competition in every season since his arrival at Arsenal in 1996.

Asked later to explain the substitution, Wenger refused to acknowledge he had made an error of judgment - a show of stubbornness that will further enrage Arsenal fans.

"I can understand that the fans are upset about the substitution, especially when it doesn't work, but he (Oxlade-Chamberlain) had started to fatigue," said Wenger. "He was sick in the week. Arshavin is captain of the Russia national team. You have an 18-year-old kid making his first Premier League start and a player who's captain of his country and they are querying the substitution?

"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 I make."

Quizzed on Van Persie's reaction to the substitution, Wenger replied: "I didn't see [it]. I don't want to come out on every reaction. We lost the game now and I don't think I have to explain what I will do. I have to stand up for the result and the substitutions I made."

Wenger's fate may now hinge on whether Arsenal beat Aston Villa on Sunday in the FA Cup fourth round. While one banner on Sunday proclaimed 'In Arsene We Trust', the majority feeling at the Emirates was articulated in the chant directed towards the Frenchman at the final whistle: "You don't know what you're doing". ·