Cheaters never prosper, Mr Wenger

I have seen plenty of own goals before, some crazier than others, but Abou Diaby’s nonchalant header into the top corner almost takes the cake.

Sadly, it was the death nail in an otherwise fantastic fight from Arsenal.

I cannot imagine what went through his mind — if anything at all.

Heck, he is not even angling for a move away from Arsenal, his contract is in order and he seems content with life. Maybe the lad just wants to play further up the field and felt finding the back of the net — any net, at that — would perhaps convince Arsene Wenger that he has options.

Seriously, Saturday’s display by Arsenal was very encouraging for their suffering fans. They came hard at United, should have had a penalty and really deserved something from the game.

I was almost rooting for them, until Eboue followed in Eduardo’s footsteps and threw himself to the ground like a sack of potatoes. All week Wenger was bleating about the “witch-hunt” on Eduardo, but when we see a team-mate do the very same you can’t help but feel a touch of karma is at work.

Cheaters never prosper, what goes around comes around; que sera sera!

Call it what you want, but no bad deed goes unpunished. Never mind that Andrey Asharvin’s claim for a penalty was far more convincing than Wayne Rooney’s convenient tumble.

The game has no place for cheats, and if that was the football gods chastening the Gunners, then so be it. And a team that plays as beautifully and as freely should not resort to such under-handed tactics. Perhaps now the lesson will be learnt. But what a game they produced.

I haven’t seen United bumble about quite so spectacularly, but somehow they got a win out of it. They gave the ball away countless times, Rooney was isolated and Ben Foster in goal looked as accommodating as the Red Cross.

He flaps at crosses like a headless chicken, can’t kick a ball to save his life — except off the goal line — and looks like a genuine apprentice.
And yet he is an English international prospect, and the second best stopper at the league champions.

The weekend served up plenty of drama, not least when Liverpool just about beat Bolton.

I fear that the win will do more harm than good.

If Liverpool had lost, it would have implored Rafa Benitez to go on a last-minute shopping spree. Now it seems they will carry on as is, despite the glaring need for a creative midfielder and a striker.

Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres will not do it every game, and the rest of Liverpool’s players seem content in only looking to their star duo for inspiration.

As a neutral, it is mind-numbingly frustrating to see a side that came so close last season contrive to sit out the title race before it has even begun.

Liverpool, and Arsenal, have excellent first elevens. But probe a little deeper and the cupboard is very bare, especially in the creative side of things.

Benitez said his side was two steps away from the title last year and needed only a tweak here and there to push on this year.

Yes Glen Johnson has slotted in very well, but right backs do not win championships. They simply play a part.

Quite why Benitez has forgotten his own words is beyond me and I fear that he will be fighting for Champions League spots with the likes of City and Spurs.

Those two sides have depth, particularly Spurs.

So don’t be surprised if they overhaul those members of the “Big Four” who insist on carrying on with the same old engine, even when it badly needs a major service.