A fortuitous injury-time Birmingham equaliser from Kevin Phillips denied Arsenal three points in a 1-1 draw.
Phillips denies Gunners win with injury-time equaliser
A fortuitous injury-time Birmingham equaliser from Kevin Phillips denied Arsenal three points in a 1-1 draw at St Andrews.
The Gunners had finally broken down a resilient Blues defence through substitute Samir Nasri on 81 minutes in a game which offered few clear-cut chances.
Arsenal, chasing a 14th top flight title, looked to be heading towards a vital win but for a bizarre equaliser from veteran Phillips.
Bacary Sagna's hooked clearance deflected off the chest of the Blues striker before Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia parried over his own head and into the net.
Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas struggled to make an impact on the game after picking up a knock in the first half which threatened an early end to his afternoon.
The Spaniard carried on however, but was unable to dictate the play as he so often does. Meanwhile, there was no return to the St Andrews pitch for the benched Eduardo, who suffered a horrific injury against the Blues in February 2008.
Confident
The away side began in confident fashion against a Blues team unbeaten at home since late September. Tomas Rosicky won the first corner of the game but skipper Fabregas' centre was held comfortably by Blues keeper Joe Hart.
Birmingham midfielder Craig Gardner shot high and wide with a 20-yard drive after a James McFadden free-kick had only been half cleared.
Soon after, Theo Walcott appealed optimistically for a penalty after a challenge from Liam Ridgewell but referee Howard Webb waved play on.
McFadden then showed good skill in creating a yard of space just outside the Arsenal box but he dragged his powerful drive a couple of yards past the post.
The visitors knocked the ball around in trademark style although the final decisive ball was lacking in the opening quarter of an hour.
Alex Song became the first player to be yellow carded after 16 minutes for bringing down McFadden, who had made an impressive start to the game.
Hart made the first meaningful save of the game a minute later when he came quickly off his line to block a shot from Walcott after he had raced onto a long ball from Fabregas.
Gael Clichy was booked after 24 minutes for a foul on Gardner. This resulted in an unhappy Wenger exchanging words with the fourth official Anthony Taylor.
Jerome brought a save out of Almunia with a low 25-yard drive.
The former Cardiff striker then burst into the box but toe-poked a weak shot straight at Almunia when under pressure from Sol Campbell.
Wenger was becoming increasingly animated but the home side were more than holding their own against their title-chasing opponents.
Second-half
Arsenal started the second half on the offensive and Hart saved a drive from Rosicky away to his right.
Then Abou Diaby made a good break into the City box but sent his shot straight at Hart. Back came Blues and Barry Ferguson only just failed to connect with a ball into the near post from Gardner.
Then, after 63 minutes, City defender Scott Dann missed a golden opportunity as Ferguson's free-kick was met by Roger Johnson, whose shot back across goal at full stretch hit the post.
The rebound fell to Dann barely two yards out but he somehow directed the ball over the bar off his thigh.
Wenger made a double change with Nasri and Andrey Arshavin replacing Rosicky and Walcott respectively.
Nasri was quickly involved in testing Hart with a low drive after being teed up by Arshavin.
Ferguson was then booked for a challenge on Nasri before the same player finally broke the deadlock nine minutes from time.
He was allowed time to cut in from the right and his low drive flew past the dive of Hart into the far corner of the net.
Gardner was booked for a foul on Diaby and Carr for bringing down Arshavin.
But just as Arsenal looked set for a vital win, substitute Phillips snatched a dramatic equaliser in injury-time.
Phillips battled for the ball with Sagna, who kicked it into the former Sunderland striker's chest and Almunia could only get a hand to it as it ballooned into the net for a dramatic equaliser.
