James McFadden's injury-time penalty earned 10-man Birmingham a 2-2 draw with Arsenal, who lost Eduardo to a horrific leg injury at St Andrews.The point puts the Gunners six points clear at the top of the Premier League table but McFadden's late strike means Manchester United can cut their lead to three when they take on Newcastle on Saturday evening.
Arsenal found themselves a goal down at half-time thanks to McFadden's free-kick, but two goals within five second-half minutes from Theo Walcott put Arsen Wenger's men in front until deep into added time, when McFadden struck after Gael Clichy felled Stuart Parnaby in the box.
Wenger's misery was compounded by the early loss of Eduardo to a sickening-looking injury.
The game was only two-and-a-half minutes old when Martin Taylor slid-in late on the Brazilian midway into the Birmingham half. The Arsenal players immediately recognised the severity of the injury and pleaded with Arsenal physio Gary Lewin to come to Eduardo's aid, as distressed team-mates looked on in horror.
Taylor was dismissed for the challenge and play was held up for seven minutes before Eduardo was carried off down the tunnel and straight into a waiting ambulance.
The 10-man Blues had to reshuffle and manager Alex McLeish introduced Parnaby from the bench, sacrificing forward Mikel Forssell.
The following 20 minutes were a non-event as the Arsenal players thoughts were clearly with their stricken team-mate, but things got worse for the Gunners as McFadden but Birmingham ahead in the 27th minute.
Mattieu Flamini fouled the Scottish forward on the edge of the Arsenal box, and from a central position, the McFadden clipped the free-kick over the defensive wall and into the top-right corner of Manuel Almunia's net, despite the Spanish keeper getting a hand to the ball on its way in.
The goal was McFadden's first strike at St Andrews since his move from Everton in January.
Emanuel Adebayor had a great chance to hit back for Arsenal in the 39th minute as he latched on to a magnificent pass by Cesc Fabregas from deep in his own half but as the ball sat up for the Togo striker with keeper Maik Taylor rushing from his line, Adebayor miscued his effort which drifted harmlessly out of play. The Premier League's joint top scorer then directed a header wide of the target from Alexander Hleb's cross a minute later.
Philippe Senderos also failed to find the target with a header from Fabregas' free-kick during nine minutes of first-half stoppage time before McFadden had a great chance to add to Birmingham's lead.
The Scotland striker found himself through on the Arsenal goal but after a poor first touch, his finish was woefully wide under pressure from Senderos.
Arsenal began the second period in determind mood and a Fabregas curler from the edge of the box brought a fine save out of Taylor with the ball seemingly destined for the far corner.
The Gunners had to wait only another 60 seconds for a leveller. Adebayor climbed highest to beat Taylor to a Fabregas corner and Walcott volleyed into the empty net from close range in the 49th minute.
Fabregas immediately hit the Blues' post before Walcott had his, and Arsenal's second only five minutes after the equaliser. The England Under-21 international picked up the ball on the left before cutting inside and lashing home a low drive, giving Taylor no chance.
Once they had fallen behind, the 10-men of Birmingham offered little in the way of a fightback. Almunia had to be alert to punch away substitute Mauro Zarate's free-kick from wide on the left but the visitors looked more likely to extend their lead.
Taylor
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