WIGAN ATHLETIC..........0

ARSENAL........................1
Adebayor 88

Latics were left devestated once again by one of the big four again after nearly forcing a point out of the Gunners.

Jewell's men performed admirably throughout but it was Emmanuel Adebayor who struck the killer blow in the last two minutes to steal a win from the JJB Stadium, by coolly slotting the ball past Chris Kirkland.

However, play should have been stopped well before then as a Cesc Fabregas stole possession of the ball from Henri Camara and released Adebayor who struck the only goal of the game.

Emile Heskey returned after a one match suspension, although Paul Scharner was suspended for this fixture, which led to Denny Landzaat reclaiming his midfield berth. Arjan De Zeeuw was still injured, so a central partnership of Fitz Hall and Emmerson Boyce continued with David Wright at right back.

Wigan's best chance came soon after the start of the second half, when the lively Camara slid the ball through to Heskey, and the striker raced into the box with only Jens Lehmann to beat. The former Liverpool man tried to lift the ball over the German 'keeper, but it was plucked away from his feet, and Heskey will feel he should have buried it.

Latics had numerous clear cut chances and nearly took the lead within five minutes of the kick-off when Camara dummied past Freddie Ljungberg before crossing into the box, where Heskey headed towards goal, but it was deflected out of play by the head of Lehmann. Seconds later, Camara managed to get contact onto the ball in a crowded penalty area as the Gunners desperatly tried to clear, but his shot was wide.

In the 36th minute, Camara jigged past two markers before trying his luck from over thirty yards, but the ball flew over the bar, and Hall nearly capped a Wigan dominated spell at the end of the first half when he brilliantly sold Julio Baptista a dummy before he burst into the penalty box but was then crowded out by the Arsenal defence.

But after a generally sedate first half performance, the second half produced plenty of chances for both sides, before Latics were cruelly robbed.

Ten minutes after the restart, Latics continued to threaten and Camara once again played an important part in the build up. His cross was chested down by Josip Skoko towards Kevin Kilbane who volleyed over the bar. And then Lee McCulloch squared the ball to Skoko whose shot was saved by Lehmann at only his second attempt from twenty-five yards.

With fourteen minutes left, Lehmann was forced to make a brilliant double save to deny Latics. Skoko's long range drive was parried by the Gunners 'keeper, but only as far as Camara, whose first time shot was also saved. The Senegalese striker also saw his low right-footed shot deflected just wide of the far post as Arsenal clung on.

The 28-year old nearly had the final say himself when he easily went past Gael Clichy but his fierce shot aimed at the top corner was always going to rise over the bar.

There were plentiful chances for Arsenal too, and they could have easily scored themselves long before Adebayor's winner.

Soon after Heskey's big chance, the Gunners broke away on the counter attack with speed and they and Kirkland was forced to make a superb block to deny Baptista from ten yards. Minutes later, Freddie Ljungberg was just inches away from opening the scoring when he dragged his left-footed shot wide of the far post.
Kirkland made two important saves to keep the scores level. Firstly he grabbed the ball from the feet from Adebayor as the Togo striker was put through, and also parried a shot away from Swedish international Freddie Ljungberg to keep the Londoner's at bay.

In defence, Hall made a superbly timed challenge on Adebayor as he almost connected to Theo Walcott's pass across the penalty area.

But in the end, despite the many chances, it was Arsenal who took the all-important chance of the game to condemn Latics to defeat. It was the narrowest of margins could have easily been the victors by the end of the evening. But manager Paul Jewell won't have to wait long to amend things, as it's just a matter of days before Sheffield United come to town.

Latics: Kirkland; Wright, Boyce, Hall, Baines(c); McCulloch, Skoko, Labdzaat, Kilbane; Heskey (Johansson 66), Camara.

Unused Subs: Pollitt, Jackson,Cotterill, Todorov.

Booked: Wright.

Arsenal: Lehnann; Eboue, Toure, Djourou, Clichy; Ljungberg, Silva ©, Flamini (Fabregas 74), Walcott (Hoyte 89); Baptista (Van Persie 74), Adebayor.

Unused Subs: Almunia, Hleb.

Referee: Rob Styles.

Attendance: 15,311.