ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Arsenal 1 Wigan Athletic 0THE MOMENT summed up the vein-bulging temper and perversity of the modern football fan. It perhaps went even further and offered pointers about society in general. When Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger carried out the merciful substitution of Emmanuel Eboue there were cheers all around the Emirates. The baying mob had succeeded in hounding off one of their own.
Saturday afternoon's events bear retelling from Eboue's perspective. Having been out injured since the end of October and still patently short of match fitness, the right-footed defender was pressed into service on the left wing, after Samir Nasri had limped off on 32 minutes with another ankle problem.
Eboue's first involvement saw him get the ball tangled under his boots and, when it reared up, he handled. The 25-year-old could do nothing right, and the harder he tried, the worse it got. His touch was leaden, his passing dismal.
Still, his team were in front and they had the chances to make the game safe. Emmanuel Adebayor and Denilson hit the post, while Robin van Persie and Adebayor had other opportunities.
The crowd grew restless, though, and when Wigan, who had gone close earlier in the second half through Emile Heskey and Mario Melchiot - the latter drawing a fine save out of Manuel Almunia - started to lean more on to the front foot, the noisy minority felt the need to vent. Remember, Arsenal were in front and creating chances, but that creature of crisis, the scapegoat, was sought.
Eboue is one of the most popular players in the Arsenal dressingroom. After Adebayor had scored his goal, slipped home after a ricochet off the Wigan defender Titus Bramble, he ran over to the bench to celebrate with him.
However, the Ivorian has his detractors among the fans, some of whom feel that while he goes down too easily, he can also leave his studs in on challenges.
Breaking point was reached when Eboue made two schoolboy errors in as many minutes with a quarter of an hour to go, including a farcical mix-up with Kolo Toure.
The crowd, who had howled for him to earn his wages and sort himself out, were off their seats and incandescent with anger.
Wenger made the difficult decision to withdraw Eboue, even though it risked shattering his fragile confidence. "He had become a danger," the manager admitted.
The clean-up operation will begin this morning. Wenger will invite Eboue into his office for a morale-boosting chat and the Frenchman has already said that "I think Eboue will play on Wednesday" at Porto.
• Guardian Service
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