ARSENAL'S title hopes were dealt a fatal blow yesterday as Wigan Athletic completed one of the most sensational comebacks of the season to nick all three points from Arsene Wenger's men.

The Gunners, seemingly cruising at 2-0, conceded three times in the final ten minutes to slump to their eighth defeat of the season that now surely ends their pursuit of a first Premier League title in six years.

At the heart of the comeback was goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. The Polish keeper, who turned 25 yesterday, endured a birthday to forget, dropping Charles N'Zogbia's corner on to the head of Titus Bramble in the 89th minute to gift the Latics an equaliser, after Ben Watson had side-footed substitute Victor Moses' cross in with ten minutes remaining.

N'Zogbia then stole the show with a delicious curling shot from the edge of the box in stoppage time to stun the visitors, leaving Wenger to bemoan a 'lack of urgency' in what the Frenchman described as 'the most disappointing defeat of the season'.

Wenger said: “It's difficult to understand what happened in those final few minutes. We lost focus, discipline and we were caught. It was not like us.

“It is the most disappointing defeat of the season, but we have to swallow it.”

Arsenal appeared to be cantering to a victory that would haul them to within three points of leaders Chelsea after Theo Walcott and Mikael Silvestre had put them two goals to the good.

Walcott took Nicklas Bendtner's inch-perfect pass into his stride and untangled his feet to slide the ball past Chris Kirkland at the end of the first half.

Silvestre then looked to have put the Gunners out of sight when he rose to head home Samir Nasri's corner. But there was to be plenty of drama to come, Wigan capitalising on some profligate possession and a negative approach from the away side to register a win that all but guarantees their survival.