Referee hands victory to unconvincing Gunners

ARSENAL began life in the PPV era – Post Patrick Vieira, not pay-per-view – and ended the 2-0 victory over Newcastle wondering whether a man sent off against them could still become his successor.

A Thierry Henry penalty and a super breakaway goal from Robin van Persie were enough to get Arsenal's title challenge off to a positive start in their last season at Highbury.

But it took 81 minutes for the breakthrough in an unconvincing display in which all the marginal decisions went with the home side including a decisive sending off for Jermaine Jenas in front of prospective employers.

"It was a shame I wanted to watch him today," Wenger smiled, before insisting that at current valuation, a reported £15m, he is 'not interested' in making a firm bid for Jenas.

But cryptically, he added: "I have already four midfielders. I will wait two or three weeks."

None of that can hide the fact that Arsenal did miss Vieira and will continue to do so until they find a replacement with enough experience to fill his boots.

In his programme notes, Wenger said: "It is the first time I have started a season without Patrick Vieira in the squad, but I believe we can begin a new, positive, era.

"A club doesn't die when a player leaves, football is not like that."

The arrival of Alexander Hleb, on the bench for this game, may turn out to be a coup but the failure to replace Vieira, in favour of using youngsters Matthieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas in his place, seems flawed.

Dutchman Bergkamp had the first real chance, showing classic anticipation to intercept a clearance and force a smart save from Shay Given.

At the other end Alan Shearer had a goal disallowed, but the biggest talking point came after 32 minutes when Jenas was sent off for the kind of lunging tackle from behind on Gilberto Silva that Vieira made his name with.

However, Newcastle had reason to be upset. At first glance it looked a dangerous challenge, but television replays suggested it deserved at worst a yellow, and the decision left Graeme manager Souness furious.

If Souness was angry at half-time, however, he was livid following an equally dubious penalty decision that won the match for Arsenal.

Newcastle were doggedly holding on to a 0-0 result, with Scott Parker outstanding, when referee Steve Bennett decided that N'Zogbia had clipped Ljungberg from behind.

Once again, television replays showed there was little or no contact and that Ljungberg was foiled when he stubbed his own toe on the turf.

Afterwards, Wenger was happy to admit his team had been out of sorts.

"Maybe we were a little fortunate to get the penalty, I can agree. But in the final 20 minutes every time we were on the ball you could see it was very likely we could score.

"For the penalty I feel Freddie was hit on his left foot and that provoked him to kick the ground. And for the sending-off it looked a dangerous tackle to me.

"If you ask me if I have seen people getting away with that in the English League before, I will not say no. But when he brought his right leg in and took the standing leg of the player, I don't like that."

As Jenas runs the incident back through his mind he may wonder if one stupid tackle has just put an end to his chances of an Arsenal career.

There again, it never did Patrick Vieira any harm.

ARSENAL: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Senderos, Cole, Ljungberg, Silva, Fabregas (Hleb 72), Pires (Flamini 84), Bergkamp (Van Persie 72), Henry.

NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Taylor, Babayaro, Dyer (N'Zogbia 69), Jenas, Parker (Faye 82), Emre, Bowyer, Shearer (Milner 72).

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).