Wenger is a real hot chest nut

Arsene Wenger clashed angrily with Martin O’Neill  as Arsenal used their love for Boxing Day football to tell the Premier League their bid for this season’s title might be stuttering, but it’s not over.

Wenger shoved O’Neill with his chest in a touchline row after Gareth Barry had scored a 64th-minute penalty to set up a fierce ending to a terrific game Villa had dominated and then lost control of to goals from Denilson and Abou Diaby.

Central defender Zat Knight saved the night, deservedly, for Villa with an injury-time equaliser, and although they drop to fourth because of Manchester United’s win earlier in the day, Villa remain above Arsenal.

Barry’s goal that sparked the comeback was the 50th of his Villa career, but Wenger and O’Neill weren’t celebrating when fourth official Steve Attwell parted them and referee Lee Mason was called over to sort it out.

William Gallas’s tackle on Gabriel Agbonlahor had just brought the penalty when Wenger marched towards O’Neill and the pair finished face-to-face as respective backroom staff and Attwell struggled to restore order.

Mason talked to both managers, but took no action, and Wenger offered a quick handshake, which was accepted by O’Neill, as he headed for the dressing room after victory was snatched from Arsenal seconds from time.

Arsenal have not lost a game on Boxing Day for nine years now, so that was a heavy statistic for them to rely on, plus the fact they hadn’t lost a league game at Villa for 10 years, when Johan Djourou added to their injury and suspension problems, dropping out of the match after injuring his calf in the warm-up.

Kolo Toure came into defence and was welcomed by a fierce Villa onslaught that turned into a charge to save the game in the second half.

Villa were on a mission, examining whether Arsenal were vulnerable and, in particular, if they were up for this challenge. Inside the first 20 minutes Villa could have had the answers to those questions and been very pleased with the result.

Steve Sidwell hit the woodwork from a Barry corner inside five minutes and central defender Curtis Davies followed that up with a good headed chance wide.

If John Carew had been the man in possession at that moment, Villa would probably not still have been chasing the opening goal when another defender, Luke Young, had Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia pushing his 20-yard shot over the bar.

Gallas was Arsenal’s hero in another five minutes when Almunia saved Agbonlahor’s shot and, as the rebound fell for Sidwell, Gallas blocked his shot. So, damaged but nothing fatal, Arsenal examined what they had to do and put all their counter-planning in trying to catch rampant Villa on the break.

Robin van Persie was Arsenal’s lone striker and it was difficult for him to find any ammunition from this severely depleted team and Villa hit the woodwork again in the 33rd minute.

Unmarked James Milner got on the end of Ashley Young’s crossfield ball and hit the post with his close-range shot for Almunia to grab the ball.

And still this one-way football didn’t end, Davies lobbing a shot over Almunia that hit the bar.

Then, five minutes before half-time, this one way street was the scene for a car crash.

Arsenal, for the first time, got their attack-when-they-could policy working successfully and Denilson got the ball, stayed in front of Sidwell’s challenge, and put Arsenal ahead.

A Brazilian scoring in this freezing Boxing Day weather? Amazing. But not as amazing as Arsenal being ahead at half-time in a game they had barely been allowed into.

Villa even tried to do something about that, Agbonlahor heading over Almunia and then Bacary Sagna conjuring one of the best goal-line clearances in football history, scissor-kicking the ball off the line straight into Almunia’s hands.

And, having shocked Villa once, Arsenal did it again. But much quicker this time.

Diaby powered his way clear, through two challenges as he did so, and then gave the ball to Emmanuel Eboue, got it back and collected Arsenal’s second goal.

Van Persie had only the woodwork between him and a decisive third – the same goal Villa had bombarded – in the 54th minute as the old school told the new that a top four place in the Premier League is difficult to hold on to.

Barry made his attempt to prove that wrong with his penalty 10 minutes later.

Television replays suggested that Gallas had got to the ball before Agbonlahor tumbled.

But then again, with the luck Arsenal had in the first half, maybe Wenger should have assessed that before starting his rant.

In the end Wenger was left frustrated when Knight got his injury-time equaliser.