For Fabio Capello, the devil was in the detail. Watching an Everton defence containing three England internationals keep a clean sheet could have construed an enjoyable afternoon. That neither goalkeeper was beaten and both, Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann, are probable members of the United States World Cup squad, instead highlighted Capello’s quest for a reliable shot-stopper.
Ahead of another Anglo-American contest in Rustenburg on 12
• ‘We are all under pressure, we lose it a little’
• ‘It just shows we are humans like everybody’
Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, believes the touchline bust-up between Roberto Mancini and David Moyes shows that managers are “human – and that we care”.
The rival managers angrily confronted each other as a compelling Premier League encounter at the City of Manchester Stadium last night – which Everton won 2-0 after goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta – went into stoppage time.
The pair needed to be separated by the fourth official, Howard Webb, after City’s Mancini took exception to Moyes picking up the ball, an action the Italian interpreted as time-wasting. The incident ended with both being sent to the dressing rooms for the closing moments by the referee, Peter Walton.
Although both managers played down the incident afterwards and apologised to each other in the tunnel, they could yet face a misconduct charge, resulting in a possible touchline ban, from the Football Association.
Wenger is no stranger to clashes in the technical area, having confronted both the former Tottenham manager Martin Jol and the ex-West Ham manager Alan Pardew in recent seasons.
The Frenchman, however, insists such flashpoints are understandable when passions run high, with so much at stake. Wenger said: “I had some [incidents], but we are all under pressure. During a game at one specific moment it can happen that, for a fraction of a second, we lose it a little bit.
“It can happen to anybody. Even if after the game, ‘come on let’s behave properly’, it can still happen. It just shows that we are humans like everybody and that we care.”
Meanwhile, Wenger accepts that Arsenal’s final seven games of the season must be perfect if they are to go on and win the title.
The Gunners briefly returned to the top of the table last weekend when they defeated West Ham with 10 men at the Emirates Stadium. However, both Manchester United and now Chelsea, following last night’s resounding 5-0 victory at bottom club Portsmouth, are back above them.
With just two points separating the challengers, and Chelsea still to face United at Old Trafford next month, the title race looks set to go right down to the wire. Arsenal head to Birmingham on Saturday, while United travel to Bolton and Chelsea host Aston Villa.
Wenger accepts the Gunners, who looked out of the race eight weeks ago following successive defeats to their rivals, have been given something of a helping hand by others dropping points, and called on his young squad not to make the same mistakes.
“What we know is we have three teams in the race, and it will be down to the team which is the most consistent,” he said. “We can only focus on our own performance because we know our route has to be perfect.
“To be perfect, it is important we focus on our performances. We needed some help from the other teams, but we know even that only now works if we are consistent and can keep our momentum.
“We have created a fantastic momentum and a great belief within our squad, but the consistency of our run is the most important.”
Of the top three, Arsenal have the inferior goal difference, by seven. However, with matches against the likes of Wolves and Wigan, they could yet claw that back.
“It could go to goal difference, but then let’s make sure it does because that will mean we will be there,” said Wenger. “But I think at the moment nobody knows about that. The one thing we know is that us winning our games will make it happen.”
Arsenal will be without the centre-half Thomas Vermaelen at St Andrew’s, as the Belgian serves a one-match ban after the club failed in their appeal to overturn his red card against West Ham.
The veteran Sol Campbell had already been filling in for the injured William Gallas, but Wenger has no intentions of resting the 35-year-old ahead of next week’s Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona.
“I will pick him for the next game because for me the next game is an important one,” said Wenger, who is likely to draft the former United defender Mikaël Silvestre into the back four at Birmingham.
“I don’t consider Barcelona for the next game. At the back we need to be solid to win this game. We have fought the whole season to be in there and this is a priority.”
Arsène WengerArsenalRoberto ManciniManchester CityDavid MoyesEvertonPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk
Had Mikel Arteta been fit for the whole season, Everton might have more than just a hope of European football next season. The return of the Basque playmaker has directly coincided with an upswing in Everton’s form that has seen them win 10 of their past 11 home games in all competitions and seven in a row in the Premier League. Supporters of Landon Donovan, who has returned to Los Angeles Galaxy after a loan spell that was more successful and which ended less painfully than David Beckham’s at Milan, might also point to the American’s contribution.
This, however, was a hard-fought victory over a Bolton side who have not managed a league goal on Merseyside for five years, but who looked second best only after they were reduced to 10 men with 18 minutes remaining.
As Yakubu broke clear, he seemed to be pushed in the back by Gretar Steinsson who was sent off, although the Bolton manager, Owen Coyle, might have argued the Nigerian was still 20 yards from goal when the incident occurred. It was, however, the third red card Bolton had been shown in their past four games and Arteta doubled the punishment with a beautifully flighted free-kick that curled into a corner of Jussi Jaaskelainen’s net.
Thereafter, Bolton collapsed and in the final few minutes Everton made the game safe. Leon Osman, who had just hammered an almost unmissable chance on to the bar, cut in to the right of the area and laid a beautiful ball back past three white shirts massed at the near post for Steven Pienaar to finish off. The loss of Victor Anichebe, carried off on a stretcher before the game was a quarter of an hour old, was the only drawback for an Everton side whose home form now appears almost irresistible.
Premier LeagueEvertonBolton WanderersTim Richguardian.co.uk
