The vultures were circling over the carcass of Wigan Athletic last night as their fate was being decided by three goals conceded in rapid succession after the interval.

They had fought their way back into the game with a wonderful free kick on the stroke of half-time and, if anything were on top when they shot themselves in the foot with their defending, not for the first time this season.

Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, had come to the Emirates Stadium to run the rule over James McCarthy and Callum McManaman while Arsenal are among the clubs to have been keenly interested in James McArthur, also a midfielder, in the hope that the players may be persuaded to remain in the top flight. McCarthy was