But Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas added to the Frenchman`s woes with an injury-time goal to steal a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane.

The Gunners boss told his players he would not quit, adding: "I reassured the players about that."

However the focus will now return to how Arsenal function without Dein, who played an integral role in bringing players to the club and was a close friend of Wenger`s.

Wenger admitted there will be differences at the club without Dein.

"We always did the job together," he said. "At the moment I'm doing it alone.

"I always left the ugly part to David as much as I could. It will be more difficult, of course, and more time-consuming because he did a lot of work, especially negotiation wise."

Wenger praised his players' response to a week of intrigue behind the scenes and with a possible hostile takeover bid on the cards from American billionaire Stan Kroenke.

Dein's departure as vice-chairman led to predictions of unrest in the dressing room but Arsenal showed their character to fight back from a goal behind before being denied maximum points with virtually the last kick of the game.

It was perhaps harsh on Arsenal given their dominance after falling behind to Robbie Keane's header on the half-hour mark.

With seconds remaining they only had goals from Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to show for their efforts but Jenas grabbed a point with a fierce drive from 25 yards.

"It should be three points - if you could get six it should have been six," said Wenger. "It feels like a defeat.

"We should have had more goals but there were positives in the team, outstanding spirit to come from a goal down after the week we had. They showed spirit, a determined attitude and quality."

Wenger will have his squad bolstered by the return of Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie from injury next season and will keep faith in the players in the team, despite another match where they have failed to hold onto the lead.

"They are remarkable players with remarkable spirit and quality," Wenger said. "I'm sure that will come out next year.

"We will not change the team, it will remain what it is at the moment and we get injured players back. We want to keep the core of the team and the spirit of the team.

"The needed quality is there. Sometimes it is intelligent not to try too much to improve."

He added: "It's more frustrating losing a goal so close to the end, that's a little bit of the story of the season so far - outstanding football and create chances then in a number of big competitions we've lost in the last minute."

Spurs boss Martin Jol feels he has started to close the gap on Arsenal, and a first victory over them since 1999 beckoned when Keane gave them the lead on the half-hour mark.

Jenas' first corner was delayed as Dimitar Berbatov jostled with Abou Diaby and Jens Lehmann - they all were booked - but his second attempt resulted in Michael Dawson heading towards goal and Keane steering the ball in.

The Arsenal fightback was led by Cesc Fabregas, who was on the bench due to a virus earlier in the week but came on to pull the strings.

He set up Emmanuel Eboue to hit the post, while Toure met one of his corners and also hit the upright.

Adebayor struck the crossbar with a header before Toure levelled just before the hour mark, finishing at the far post from a Fabregas free-kick.

"In the second half we should have scored five goals," added Wenger.

The Gunners thought they had a winner when Fabregas' free-kick was headed in by Adebayor with 13 minutes remaining but Jenas' long-range strike ensured a point each.

"He saved the day," said Spurs boss Jol. "It was not a lucky goal either, he's doing that all the time in training.

"Their fans sing that we messed up in the Carling Cup (when Spurs were 2-0 ahead) and they messed it up today."

But the Dutchman admitted: "In the first half I would have been disappointed with a draw but in the second half they could have had a third or a fourth."