IT IS A SIGN OF THE BURGEONING optimism at Upton Park that Alan Pardew said he hoped his touchline spat with Arsène Wenger would not make the headlines. Fat chance. The Professor had all the cool of a freshers’ week knees-up as Arsenal’s title aspirations foundered in the face of a West Ham United renaissance.

When push came to shove, as it did moments after Marlon Harewood’s 89th-minute winner, Arsenal and their manager were found wanting. Wenger raised his hands, then refused to shake Pardew’s, while players indulged in their own feuds. The memory of Robin van Persie being hit by a coin in the first half was almost lost amid the detritus. Wenger rounded off his performance by taking his hissy fit on to the team coach without commenting.

His reaction provided a messy denouement to an absorbing afternoon. Wenger did not give himself the chance to deny it publicly, but his anger was surely fuelled by his side’s inability to turn lashings of delicious play into goals.

When they are on song Arsenal are irresistible, an amalgam of deft first touches, reverse passes and the sort of flair that makes you wonder if they are rewriting the Barclays Premiership’s skills manual. The flipside remains a penchant for the over-elaborate and the suspicion that when the going gets tough they have a soft centre. It is why they can beat Manchester United and lose to City, and why Tomas Rosicky looks like a superstar-elect in most things he does, but has the finishing touch of a cowboy plasterer.

Given that Pardew was under inordinate pressure and was nearing a first clean sheet of the season, it was perhaps inevitable that his goal celebrations would be exuberant. “This is a massive victory,” he said. “This game has a gift of rewarding you when you least expect it.”

Wenger’s case for the defence was extensive. He probably felt Matthew Etherington had fouled Mathieu Flamini before crossing for Harewood to score, and that his side should have had a penalty when Alexander Hleb appeared to be fouled by Jonathan Spector, the defender. But Wenger’s mood had already been soured by wayward finishing from Rosicky and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Pardew paid tribute to the irritant ankle-snapping job done by Nigel Reo-Coker on Francesc Fàbregas and the defensive efforts of Danny Gabbidon, but a killer instinct might have seen them off. Rosicky’s effort on 30 minutes summed up their flaws. A delicious chipped pass from Fàbregas was delivered to Rosicky via a cushioned pass from Thierry Henry. The Czech darted through, only to shoot badly wide.

There were other moments of magic, notably involving Rosicky and Hleb, but Van Persie also had a volley saved by Robert Green. With Pardew mirroring Wenger’s decision to play a solitary striker, West Ham’s more direct style, however, made for an even contest.

They had good openings, too. Etherington and Yossi Benayoun capitalised on Arsenal’s narcolepsy at a corner and the former’s deflected cross shot drifted just past the far post. Then a dreadful clearance from Jens Lehmann led to Benayoun putting a header just wide from Spector’s inviting cross.

The second half saw matters become increasingly stretched and afforded Arsenal further opportunity to show their ability to induce a mix of awe and frustration. They broke with pace and panache and then failed to find the last pass. Pardew went for it by adding Harewood and Teddy Sheringham.

Instantly, Sheringham showed that vintage calm by stroking a clever pass to Harewood. He then forced Gaël Clichy into a goal-saving challenge and had Pardew and Wenger squaring up for round one after a shove on Lehmann.

“To a man our team showed the spirit we need,” Pardew said before trying in vain to find Wenger to apologise before he left. Quite what he had to apologise for, other than perhaps an errant word or two, was unclear.

“The players got us into position for Teddy and Marlon to come on and grab the headlines,” Pardew added. Fat chance again.

• Kia Joorabchian’s takeover of West Ham United was in the balance last night. The businessman has asked Eli Papouchado, his backer, if he wants to invest the additional £13 million needed to complete the takeover of the club, which is valued at £80 million. The West Ham board will meet tomorrow to discuss the offer. The club are moving away from a potential move to the Olympic Stadium because they need to provide £100 million to the venue’s cost.

  GARY JACOB