MOMENT OF HUTH
Own goal gifts Gunners top-four lifeline
ARSENE WENGER celebrated like a man whose luck had finally changed. Wins do not come much more fortunate than a deflected last-gasp winner off the man of the match. But the Arsenal manager could not care as he punched the air on the touchline, after Nacho Monreal’s 87th-minute shot was deflected in off Leicester’s Robert Huth. It finally broke the deadlock on an otherwise painful game as Arsenal keep their remote chances of reaching the top four just about alive. But it seems unthinkable these were last season’s top two in the Premier League, with the Foxes happy to sit back and defend. There was very little left of the party mood from the Gunners reaching the FA Cup final just three days earlier and swathes of empty seats at the Emirates. There were big groans as the hosts struggled to find a way through as Arsenal were in danger of passing themselves to death. While they were neat and tidy, the north Londoners lacked any sort of cutting edge to get through City’s defence. Leicester did not offer much going forward but Riyad Mahrez forced a brilliant save, a stunning reflex tip over, from keeper Petr Cech. Arsenal created very little with Francis Coquelin and Theo Walcott forcing good saves from Kasper Schmeichel. But Wenger’s side were sloppy in possession, continually gave the ball away, and just reinforced that the Frenchman needs to do some major surgery to lift this squad for next season. Coquelin has lost his way in midfield, Mesut Ozil’s form has dropped badly and even Alexis Sanchez continually gave the ball away. He at least can produce something out of nothing and did exactly that with a run and dipping shot in firsthalf injury time, his 20-yard effort smashing against the top of the crossbar. It was frustrating for Arsenal as Craig Shakespeare’s men sat back and soaked up the pressure. Granit Xhaka’s deflected shot forced a good save from Schmeichel, while Laurent Koscielny should have scored from Hector Bellerin’s cross, but instead headed straight at the Leicester keeper. But just when it looked like Wenger’s side had run out of ideas, they got so lucky. Monreal’s shot deflected in off German defender Huth to bring a huge sense of relief to the Emirates.