Adebayor hoping his winner a turning point for Arsenal
Arsene Wenger admitted doubts had begun to creep into his players’ minds after they started the season with two points from three games.
But Adebayor’s late strike at Old Trafford injected new confidence into the Gunners.
Adebayor, 22, said: “I hope this is a breakthrough for the team. We never got down. We were never out of the race. We needed this win and we showed we are a good team. We showed we can play good football. We showed we enjoy playing as a team and working for each other.”
The Togo international joined Arsenal for £7 million (€10.3m) from Monaco in January and scored four times as they made a late charge to finish fourth in the Premiership. The late winner at Old Trafford, however, shoots straight to the top of his list of favourite goals.
Boss Wenger admits a stumbling start to the season. Arsenal have still not won in their new Emirates Stadium.
Wenger said: “In the first three games, we did not get what we could have. But since Middlesbrough we have gone to Hamburg and won in the Champions League, now we have beaten Manchester United. You cannot do that unless you have special qualities.”
He also praised Adebayor’s efforts, playing alone in attack in the absence of Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie.
He said: “I feel Adebayor has the characteristics to play up front. He had a great game. Thierry Henry is world-class player and we need him. We can live without him for one or two games. But it is a team sport and Adebayor brought the team exactly what it needed.”
Arsenal are seven points behind Chelsea and Manchester United, with a game in hand on them both, and eight points adrift of leaders Portsmouth.
Wenger said: “There is a long way to go but, confidence-wise, this is a turning point for us.
“We needed the points and we needed belief in the side. I believe in my players. It is difficult to have the courage to pass the ball like we did.
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