• Date: Sun 09 March 2008
  • Venue: The JJB Stadium
  • Ref: Styles, R
  • Attendance: 19,676

Wigan Athletic vs Arsenal

Team Lineups

Wigan Athletic

Chris Kirkland
Paul Scharner
Erik Edman
Emmerson Boyce
Mario Melchiot
Luis Antonio Valencia
Wilson Palacios
Jason Koumas
Michael Brown
Emile Heskey (Antoine Sibierski, 55)
Marlon King (Kevin Kilbane, 87)

Arsenal

Manuel Almunia
Gael Clichy
William Gallas
Philippe Senderos
Bacary Sagna
Cesc Fabregas
Alex Hleb
Aparecido Gilberto Silva (Kolo Toure, K, 65)
Mathieu Flamini
Emmanuel Adebayor
Nicklas Bendtner (Robin van Persie, 65)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

It's finished 0-0, Arsenal extend their lead at the top to two points while Wigan move above Newcastle and into 13th place.

90

It's cleared by Arsenal but it looks more like Wigan who could find a late, late goal now

90

Wigan break on the counter-attack and win a late corner deep into stoppage time

90

Four minutes of stoppage time will be played as Arsenal chase a late winner

88

Kirkland makes a fine save from Fabregas late on - a great chance for Arsenal to win it

87
Substitution
 

King goes off for Wigan, Kevin Kilbane comes on

86

Fabregas' weak shot bobbles wide at the other end - it looks like a goalless stalemate will be the outcome

85

Valencia's cross is turned behind by Gallas for a Wigan corner

84

Van Persie creates a bit of space but again he shoots over - he's been lively since coming on

82

The pressure is building on Wigan now but Arsenal haven't created many chances

81

Paul Scharner's header is vital with Hleb lurking

79

Two quick corners for Arsenal are also wasted - just over 10 minutes left now

77

Arsenal blast a free-kick high over the bar - Van Persie guilty of wasting it

74

Time ticking at the JJB - it's been poor but could still go either way as Valencia's shot is cleared

72

Fabregas' free-kick is easy for Kirkland and the Wigan keeper easily catches it

71
Yellow Card
 

King is booked for a foul on Philippe Senderos

70

Gallas is up and looks OK now

68

Gallas appears to have pulled his hamstring and it looks like he'll have to go off too

65
Substitution
 

Robin van Persie also comes on, Bendtner makes way for him

65
Substitution
 

Kolo Toure comes on for Gilberto Silva as Arsene Wenger makes a double change

64

Valencia shoots from outside the area but it's tipped round the post by Manuel Almunia

63

Boyce's challenge denies Bendtner a chance

61
Yellow Card
 

Gilberto is booked for a late challenge

61

Fabregas' pass is poor as Arsenal look to break - he's been disappointing today too

60

Arsenal defend a second corner in quick succession for Wigan - the home fans try to raise the volume again

58

Jason Koumas' shot is deflected behind for a corner - the best moment so far from the home side

57

The match has barely improved in the second half as the pitch continues to frustrate both sides

55
Substitution
 

Heskey, who's had a poor game, goes off in place of Antoine Sibierski

54

Adebayor's cross is gathered under pressure by Kirkland

51

Valencia's cross at the other end is dangerous but Bacary Sagna can clear

50

Brown does well to deny Hleb, Arsenal have began the second half well though

49

From the free-kick, Kirkland flaps at the ball but Adebayor wastes the chance when the ball drops

48

Bendtner is caught late by Emmerson Boyce, who escapes a booking

47

Both sides will be looking for an improvement in the second period after a disappointing first half

Second half
 

The second 45 minutes get underway at the JJB - no changes at the break

Half time
 

Goalless at the break - it's been a poor first half but the pitch hasn't helped matters

45

Gallas goes down after clearing the ball for a corner - he looks injured though as we learn there will just be one minute of extra time added

44

It's been a disappointing first half with just a couple of clear chances of note for Arsenal

41

That incident has brought the home fans to life as Valencia's cross is overhit

39

Fabregas goes down clutching his face after a skirmish with Heskey but it looks like he made the most of it and the Wigan fans are furious

36

Fabregas' header is tipped over by Kirkland - a decent opening wasted by the visitors

34

A Koumas free-kick is cleared to Brown who hooks it goalwards but it flies over the bar

33

The pitch appears to be hampering both sides in this game so far - very few chances at either end

32

Bendtner advances forward well but his cross is poor and Wigan clear

29

Brown sees two quick shots blocked by the Gunners' defence

28

Antonio Valencia breaks forward well for Wigan and wins a corner but Arsenal clear

25
Yellow Card
 

Bendtner picks up a rather mysterious yellow card - it's unclear why

23

Wigan eventually clear an Arsenal corner - it's all a bit scrappy at the moment

22

A high cross aimed for Adebayor is claimed confidently by Kirkland

20

Jason Koumas' corner is cleared and Arsenal look to mount a quick counter-attack but Alex Hleb's control lets him down

18

Erik Edman does well to clear after neat build-up play from Arsenal

17

The ball bobbles up and makes Bendtner look a bit silly as he completely misses the ball

16

Michael Brown's pass is intended for Emile Heskey but it's overhit and runs out of play

14

Another Palacios shot is well wide but there's encouraging signs early on for the home side

11

An extremely ambitious effort from at least 40 yards from William Gallas drifts over

11

The pitch isn't helping Arsenal's passing game as Bendtner's shot is judged to have been touched behind by Kirkland for a corner

8

Wilson Palacios's rising shot never troubles Manuel Almunia

7

Another Fabregas free-kick is well claimed this time by Kirkland

5

Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner link up well before the former's shot is well blocked by Mario Melchiot

3

Cesc Fabregas' free-kick is dealt with by the Wigan defence but Arsenal have started brightly

1

Chris Kirkland makes an important early save to deny Emmanuel Adebayor - a great chance for the Gunners to take a very early lead though

Kickoff
 

The match begins on a poor pitch at the JJB Stadium as Arsenal look to move four points clear at the top

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Wigan boss Steve Bruce names an unchanged line-up while Arsenal make two changes from their superb Champions League win over Milan - Gilberto Silva and Nicklas Bendtner replacing Abou Diaby and the suspended Emmanuel Eboue.