Birmingham City may still not have won at Arsenal for over 50 years, but the Midlanders demonstrated their increasing propensity to produce their most obdurate performances against the most illustrious of opponents, first coming back from conceding a controversial opener, and then frustrating the league leaders with an efficiency that deserved reward.

Arsène Wenger admitted as much afterwards, the Frenchman’s reaction a combination of disappointment at his team’s lack of penetration, especially in the second-half, and admiration for the efforts of his opponents. “They defended well, but it looked too easy,” said Wenger, who dismissed the question when asked whether he felt he might need to bring in fresh blood, particularly up front, during the transfer window.

“That’s an excuse to find when you don’t win a game,” he said. “When a team has won so many games since the start of the season, to then go out and buy would be too easy, and it’s not the way I want to go.” Given this was only the second time Arsenal have been held at home in the league, he had a point, but the solidity with which Birmingham picked up their own point must have given him food for thought.

The fact that two Arsenal players were allowed free headers in the Birmingham penalty area in the first three minutes had not boded well for the visitors, who were fortunate that neither Eduardo nor William Gallas timed their efforts as they would have wished. The best of the early chances fell to Emmanuel Adebayor, miscontrol on the part of Rafael Schmitz allowing the striker to run clear into the penalty area, but he delayed his shot long enough for Schmitz to get back and make a tackle.

That Birmingham had not come with the sole intention of frustration was evident in the selection of both Cameron Jerome and Garry O’Connor up front, and Jerome almost snatched an unlikely opener. Having outpaced Gallas and Philippe Senderos on to Olivier Kapo’s through-ball, his accurate, low, left-footed drive was heading for the far corner before Manuel Almunia’s fingertips diverted the ball past the post.

It was a warning to Arsenal to make their superiority count, but they needed the referee’s help to do so. Shortly after heading an Alexander Hleb cross straight at City goalkeeper Maik Taylor, Eduardo went down in the penalty area under a challenge from Stephen Kelly.

While the full-back launched his tackle from behind the Croatian as he faced the goal, he also appeared to hook the ball cleanly away, but Phil Dowd decided he had contacted Eduardo first and pointed to the spot. Taylor, diving to his left, nearly kept Adebayor’s spot-kick out. “I’m looking forward to seeing the replay a few hundred times,” said Birmingham manager Alex McLeish. The home team continued to look the more likely to add to the scoring. Hleb found Cesc Fabregas in the penalty area, and it took a solid block from Liam Ridgewell to prevent the Gunners going in to the break two clear.

Four minutes into the second half, however, Birmingham were level, with a goal that also owed a little to good fortune. O’Connor showed admirable commitment in rising to meet Sebastian Larsson’s corner, but Almunia looked to have the header covered until it took a hefty deflection off Fabregas.

The response was immediate and concerted, but not fluent.

Ridgewell was in the right place to block Adebayor’s attempt to turn Fabregas’ cross past Taylor, and the City goalkeeper reacted sharply to save from Senderos.

Wenger sent on Nicklas Bendtner for the ineffective Theo Walcott, with Eduardo dropping out to the left wing. Fabregas fired two yards wide and Gael Clichy lashed a drive straight at Taylor, but it was significant that both had to shoot from well outside the penalty area. When Arsenal did find space, the ball into the box was usually disappointing, although Fabregas slipped the ball through for Bendtner, but the striker’s attempt rolled well wide of Taylor’s far post.

The frown on Wenger’s face was deepening by the minute. Mathieu Flamini was the next to test Taylor from distance, but once more the goalkeeper’s handling was faultless. Time had almost run out when Bendtner put Hleb clear on the right side of the penalty area and the low cross slid across the face of goal, wanting only a touch to turn it across the line.

“We were playing a special team, but our will and determination got us through,” said McLeish. “We can give anybody a game, but we still need to add to the squad. We want more creativity, and I’m optimistic we’ll bring someone in.”

Player ratings

Arsenal: Almunia 6, Sagna 6 (Diaby 83min), Senderos 5, Gallas 6, Clichy 6, Walcott 5 (Bendtner 65min), Fabregas 7, Flamini 5, Hleb 6, Adebayor 6, Eduardo 5

Birmingham: Taylor 7, Kelly 6, Ridgewell 8, Schmitz 5, Queudrue 5 (Parnaby 61min), Larsson 6, Muamba 6, Johnson 6, Kapo 6, Jerome 6 (McSheffrey 75min), O’Connor 6 (Forssell 75min)

Star man: Liam Ridgewell (Birmingham)
Attendance: 60,037
Referee: P Dowd