Arsenal's attempts to secure a place in next season's Champions League were thwarted on Monday as Wigan claimed a notable 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium in the English Premier League. Roberto Martinez's team, who beat Manchester United 1-0 in their last match, once again belied their lowly league status with another performance which further bolsters their chances of avoiding the drop. Franco Di Santo opened the scoring in the seventh minute against the run of play, slotting the ball into an empty net after goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had saved his first attempt. Wigan doubled their lead a minute later with Jordi Gomez bundling the ball home. Arsenal responded in typical fashion flooding forward in search of a goal and in the 21st minute it arrived -- Thomas Vermaelen meeting Tomas Rosicky's cross with an emphatic header. Home supporters sensed the tide of the match had turned but Wigan held out until halftime and continued to defend stoutly in the second period, clinging on for another memorable win. Arsenal remain in third with 64 points still five points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, but Harry Redknapp's side -- who were soundly beaten by Chelsea in the FA Cup semifinal on Sunday -- now have a game in hand over their north London rivals, CNN reported.
