Sol red card only strengthened us - Vieira

Arsenal began the new Barclaycard Premiership season much as they ended the last – down to 10 men, with a sense of grievance and having a point to prove.

However, the one great difference came in the shape of Patrick Vieira, who so damagingly missed the title run-in through injury, but is now fit and playing with a new-found freedom after settling his future at the club.

Indeed, Vieira believes his team’s stirring response to another red card for Sol Campbell provides proof that this time they can use disciplinary woes to their own benefit.

For almost 25 minutes at Highbury, Arsenal had laboured to make any real impression on Everton, with only keeper Jens Lehmann to thank for keeping a clean sheet.

But then Campbell brought down Thomas Gravesen in full flight on the edge of the penalty area and was immediately dismissed by referee Mark Halsey.

As opposed to Campbell’s sending off against Manchester United in April last season, which was also to contribute to their title demise, this one actually brought the Gunners to life.

After all, having now suffered 51 dismissals in Arsene Wenger’s six-year reign, they are rather used to playing – and, indeed, winning – with 10 men.

So it proved again. With Everton wasting the ensuing free-kick, the incident served to provide the kick-start that Arsenal so badly needed.

With their backs to the wall, they came out fighting. Within 10 minutes, Thierry Henry had put the home side ahead from the penalty spot after a handball by Alan Stubbs.

Thereafter, Everton found themselves over-run. For some teams, having a player sent off is a disaster. For Arsenal, it is a positive spur. In short, Everton were outnumbered 10 to 11.

Vieira observed: “Even with 11 men, it was quite difficult to find the rhythm of the game. But when we were at 10 men, that’s when everyone started to play and we got stronger.

“I think that once Sol was sent off, we just wanted to fight and we did it really well.

“We just showed our spirit and that the quality of our players is really good. It’s a good start for us as we won a difficult game and showed how strong we are for the rest of the season.”

While Henry led the line on his own with verve and vivacity, Robert Pires and Fredrik Ljungberg tucked in to provide support and, if Everton made the mistake of launching an attack, they were immediately hit on the break.

Above all, Vieira ran the central midfield majestically.

Wenger said: “Patrick had a great performance. In the heat of the game, he kept calm and gave us technically what we needed to keep the ball.

“Signing his new contract will help him to focus on what is in front of us. It is difficult to have the same sort of commitment if you don’t know exactly where you stand.

“Now he knows there is a long commitment with the club and he wants to do well as he wants to win trophies.”

Vieira responded: “The confidence that I have in the club and the club have in me was really strong, and I’m very happy to be here for a long time.”

Arsenal should have gone even further ahead before half-time, only for Gilberto’s control to let him down when clean through.

Although Tomasz Radzinski then fired a shot wide, Everton boss David Moyes was desperate for some inspiration and turned to Wayne Rooney despite his lack of match-fitness.

The only problem was that before the teenager had been on the pitch for two minutes, Arsenal were 2-0 up and coasting.

Everton keeper Richard Wright was left horribly exposed by his static defence and although he managed to block shots from first Gilberto and then Vieira, he was finally beaten by Pires.

The visitors only came back to life in the final 10 minutes, with Radzinski sweeping the ball home after being set up by substitute Gary Naysmith.

They also managed to have a player sent off when Li Tie’s competitive instincts overcame him and he fouled Ray Parlour twice in the space of just eight minutes.

However, keeper Wright, who is used to the sight of his former club making the most of being reduced to 10 men, still believes that his new side should have done better.

“When the sending-off happened, we thought it would be easier, rather than keeping on pressing them as we had done earlier,” he admitted.

“We should have got something from the game. Arsenal are a good team and they’ve done it before, but it was up to us to break them down and take any advantage you get.”

That Everton failed was down to Arsenal’s spirit in adversity. The trick for Wenger is making sure his players perform just as well before they have a team-mate sent off.