Substitutes not used: Poke (gk), Higginbotham, Davenport.Arsenal (4-4-2): Lehmann; Tour?Ebou?75), Senderos, Cygan, Cole; Ljungberg, Vieira, Flamini, Pires (Clichy, 45); Henry, Van Persie. “How quickly he learns will decide how big a player he will be. Wenger blamed poor finishing, as well as Van Persie, for Arsenal’s failure to win but was clearly unhappy with the Dutchman.Van Persie’s dismissal means Wenger may have to use either Jeremie Aliadi?, who has been injured for months, or the teenager Arturo Lupoli alongside Henry at Bramall Lane “There is a lot of talent there,” he added. Arsenal should have still have won comfortably but Paul Smith made a series of outstanding saves, notably from Henry, Ljungberg and Ashley Cole.Redknapp drew comfort from a point which seemed unobtainable at half-time, though any pleasure would have been dimmed by Crystal Palace’s subsequent victory over Birmingham City. Some might, but not, apparently, Keith Hackett.EMPTY ARSENAL? BANNED STRIKERSDennis Bergkamp Sent off v Sheff Utd.

“Dennis would not have been sent off and people would be scandalised by what Cullip did,” said Wenger. Wenger, however, again blamed Dennis Bergkamp’s dismissal last week on the referee’s failure to dismiss Danny Cullip for his foul on Cesc Fabregas. I think he’s intelligent enough to know he shouldn’t have done it.”Arsenal had previously gone 50 League games without a red card (the best in the Premiership) but it was their 58th under Wenger in all and second in eight days. Next time, instead of dwelling on the ball, Pires may decide to unload it.

Red cards are often criticised for “ruining the game as a spectacle” when one side is reduced. Not as much as permitting a culture in which ball-players are vulnerable.It was recently revealed that there are more fouls in Serie A than the Premiership, and more red cards. This is clearly another example where statistics and reality diverge. Fewer fouls may be penalised in England, but there are clearly more committed.

Didier Drogba, for example, would not have been booked in England for his foul on the Barcelona goalkeeper in midweek. Prutton and Van Persie were both undoubtedly “stupid”, to quote the Southampton manager, Harry Redknapp, but their behaviour was in context.In truth, Wiley should have shown both Prutton and Van Persie red for their first offences, not yellow (Prutton mowed down Mathieu Flamini like a combine harvester, Van Persie elbowed Rory Delap across the chin). Even his eventual dismissal of Prutton only occurred after consulting his linesman, Paul Norman. This led to the confrontation with Prutton who twice pushed Wiley in trying to get to Norman. Eventually, Prutton was bundled away by Southampton back-room staff.The incident unsettled Southampton and Arsenal scored in the immediate aftermath, Freddie Ljungberg turning in Thierry Henry’s mis-hit shot. After Van Persie evened the sides, Southampton levelled when Jens Lehmann went walkabout at Jamie Redknapp’s corner allowing Peter Crouch to head over him and into the net.