Wenger Happy with Victory Over City, Hails 'Outstanding Performance'

Spaniard Mikel Arteta scored a spectacular 86th minute winner as Arsenal maintained their grip on third place by beating Manchester City at the Emirates on Sunday. In the process, Arsene Wenger's charges ended Roberto Mancini's team's title hopes.

The victory gave the Gunners all three points as they continue their pursuit of a Champions League spot for next season. Meanwhile, Wenger is all praise for his players, who he thinks dominated City throughout the match and deserved their victory.

"I think we had over 60 per cent possession. They had one or two good periods, Man City, but overall after 10 minutes in the second half it was all us," Arsenal.com quoted Wenger as saying.

"I always felt the goal would come but it was very tight and in the end you feel it is important not to lose. But we kept going and at home recently we have produced some outstanding performances against any team. I am very happy that we got the win and the team continues to grow in quality," he added.

Wenger feels that City striker Mario Balotelli should have been sent off in the first half itself for his studs-up challenge on Alex Song and replays showed that the Frenchman had a strong case.

"If the referee had television [replays] he would have given him a red card. I thought it was a bad tackle, I said to my physio 'what happened to Song?' because he said he was touched at the knee. He [Balotelli] was on the fringe, in many situations, he flirted with orange a few times. In the end he got the second yellow card," the manager said.

"I don't know what [I would do with him], I don't know him and it's not my job to do that. I don't want to interfere with Mancini's job. Everybody has his cases in his own camp and I have enough work," Wenger added, when asked how he would manage Balotelli.

Looking ahead, Arsenal travel to the Molineux Stadium to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in a midweek fixture and Wenger says that will be another crucial match for the Gunners as Wolves are desperately trying to avoid relegation.

"It will be a different game to today. You have to deal now with a team that will fight not to go down so it will demand the same commitment. Wolves will fight for their survival and are dangerous as well," he said.

Arsenal will miss the services of centre-back Laurent Koscielny, who is on a two-match suspension after seeing his 10th yellow card of the season against City, for their next game.

The Gunners are currently third in the table with 61 points. Their north London rivals Tottenham are two points behind them, while Chelsea and Newcastle both are on 56 points as the four teams battle for final two Champions League spots for next season.

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