Manager Arsene Wenger was happy with Arsenal's fightback despite a 2-2 draw at West Brom, leaving them five points behind leaders Manchester United.

Two second-half goals salvaged a point and with nine games left, Wenger said: "What was good was the reaction of the whole team and their fighting spirit.

"It will be interesting through to the end because we are ready to focus and ready for a fight."

The Gunners still have to play United in the league on 1 May at the Emirates.

It has been an emotional few weeks for Wenger and his team following their Carling Cup final defeat, elimination from the Champions League and a miserable loss to rivals United in the FA Cup.

With Sir Alex Ferguson's team slipping up recently with two successive losses in the league, Arsenal's visit to the Hawthorns on Saturday was a chance to boost morale, as well as their hopes in the Premier League title race.

Odemwingie celebrates after taking advantage of Arsenal's sloppy defence

Starting the day three points behind top spot with a game in hand, Wenger's team trailed West Brom 2-0 at half-time as Peter Odemwingie capitalised on a mix-up between keeper Manuel Almunia and defender Sebastien Squillaci, adding to Steven Reid's early header.

But goals by Andrey Arshavin and Robin van Persie in the 70th and 78th minute secured an unlikely point for Arsenal and although that allowed table-topping United to open up a five-point gap, the Gunners' French boss was determined to focus on the positives.

While Ferguson hailed the character of his 10-man United side for beating Bolton with an 88th-minute Dimitar Berbatov winner by claiming that "no other club in the country has got that", Wenger was equally complimentary over the efforts of his own players.

"The pitch was very difficult for us and it was difficult to pass at top speed, so it was almost more down to character and resilience - and we have shown plenty," Wenger added.

"Mathematically we lost two points, but psychologically I think we won a point, because when you are 2-0 down with 20 minutes to go, you cannot be too unhappy with this comeback.

"I said that no matter what happened today, it would not be over, but for the team it was important not to lose. With what has happened to us recently, you wonder how we would have recovered if we had lost the game today."

Wenger was unhappy with the playing surface but admitted that poor defending resulted in his team's first half collapse.

"The pitch was not at fault when we conceded the goals - we were at fault on the first and the second, we cannot blame the pitch for that," the 61-year-old said.

Reid was unchallenged in the box when he nodded in the opener after three minutes and just before the hour, Almunia charged off his line and misjudged a long ball as Nigerian striker Odemwingie slotted in the second.

"I do not want to go too much into individual criticism," Wenger said. "The players involved in that second goal know what it was about."

Baggies boss Roy Hodgson had mixed emotions following the bright start by his team, only to see them end up clinging for a point to leave them one point from the relegation spots.

"We are upset we couldn't hang on because it was a sterling effort by the players, but we were playing against a very good team," Hodgson said.

"With the questions they ask of you in terms of defensive organisation, you are always going to be hard pressed not to concede a goal.

"It is disappointing to be 2-0 up and not get a victory but on the other hand, it would be wrong of me to suggest that Arsenal got anything from this game they didn't deserve."

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