Wenger lifted by battling Gunners

Arsenal FC manager Arsène Wenger was delighted with the fighting spirit shown by his side after holding PSV Eindhoven to a goalless draw in Champions League Group A, despite playing for almost an hour with a man less following the dismissal of Kolo Touré. "After we went down to ten men I was very pleased with the way we played as we looked the more dangerous team," Wenger said.

Wenger backs Touré
Touré was sent off for two bookable offences, both for challenges on Dennis Rommedahl, but Wenger defended the Ivory Coast player who was playing out of position at left-back in place of Ashley Cole. "The first yellow was deserved, but I thought the second was harsh," Wenger said. "I think it happened because of his lack of experience playing in that position."

Resilient Arsenal
Despite being a man light, Arsenal emerged the stronger side after the break thanks to the impressive Dennis Bergkamp and Sylvain Wiltord, both of whom had come on as substitutes. Indeed Arsenal might have gone into the interval ahead had Francis Jeffers taken any of the three chances presented to him by Thierry Henry and Robert Pires.

Seven changes
Already sure of a place in the second round, Wenger made seven changes from the side that had lost to BV Borussia Dortmund on Matchday Five, including the return to Champions League action of Giovanni van Bronckhorst after a seven-month lay-off. "I'm pleased with the performance of Van Bronckhorst," Wenger said. "And Pires was very good. Francis Jeffers also created some good chances."

Order restored
The point was all Arsenal needed to finish top of Group A and end a run of two straight Champions League defeats. For Wenger it was a case of restoring order in Group A. "I'm pleased to be top of the group and I believe we deserve to be top," he said.

Home truths
Defeat left PSV bottom and out of the UEFA Cup places after AJ Auxerre beat Dortmund 1-0 in the group's other match to finish third. Other than a brief flurry at the start and end of the second half, PSV rarely threatened Rami Shaaban on his debut in the Arsenal goal, but coach Guus Hiddink believed his side's European hopes had been hit earlier in the campaign. "We lost the chance of qualifying in two of our home games [defeats by Arsenal and Dortmund]," Hiddink said. "That's where we failed."

Bitter blow
"I was pleased with tonight's performance," he added. "The only thing we were missing was a goal. I'm very disappointed not to be in the UEFA Cup."