Arsenal showed a lot of resolve and on the triumphant return of Jack Wilshere the Gunners fought tooth and nail and finally found a way to score a 1-0 victory over 10-man Queens Park Rangers in their English Premier League game at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta popped up in the 84th minute to score from close-range, after Wilshere had played an impressive 65 minutes of Premier League football, with QPR seeing Stephane Mbia sent off for a ridiculous kick at Thomas Vermaelen.
In other games, there were three draws between Aston Villa-Norwich, Reading Fulham, and Stoke-Sunderland, with Wigan picking up an impressive 2-1 win against a poor West Ham side.
At the Emirates, it was all about Wilshere for the first hour of the game, as Arsenal for large parts - despite controlling position - struggled to create enough clear-cut chances. Everything that was good about Arsenal came through the young midfielder, playing his first competitive game for the Gunners since May of last year.
Watching Wilshere play, nobody would have dreamt that the playmaker had missed well over a year in the game. Playing in a central midfield three that included Arteta and Santi Cazorla, the 20-year-old was the star man, his driving runs and astute passing making the capacity Arsenal faithful purr in delight.
Arsenal's first chance fell to Aaron Ramsey, playing on the right alongside another player who was making a comeback from a long-term injury in Bacary Sagna, who had a solid 90 minutes at right-back. The Welsh midfielder saw his nicely directed header skim off the crossbar, much to the agony of the supporters.
Giroud had a strike with his left foot from an acute angle well saved by Julio Cesar - without whom the match would have easily ended 4 or 5-0 to Arsenal. Arsenal had a couple more potshots before the break, with Wilshere stinging the hands of Cesar off a strike from just outside the box.
In the second half, QPR slowly started to grow into the game - Mark Hughes' side enjoying a good 5-10 minute spell just before the hour mark, but it was Arsenal who still were enjoying the bulk of the possession, despite not making too many inroads.
After a couple of robust challenges on Wilshere saw 60,000 people take a collective intake of breath, the biggest round of applause was reserved for the Arsenal No. 10 -- substituted for Theo Walcott in the 65th minute.
The Brazilian international kept QPR in the game early in the second half, making a smart save off a header from Per Mertesacker. Cazorla then really should have put Arsenal ahead with a little over ten minutes remaining. The ball deflected to the Spaniard off a wonderfully whipped in Walcott cross from the right - but the 27-year-old left all alone inside the box, blasted the shot high, with the goal at his mercy.
The match turned around for the Gunners with ten minutes remaining, when Mbia inexplicably kicked out at Vermaelen after a freekick had been given in the QPR defender's favor.
Soon after, Wenger had to make an enforced substitution - taking off substitute Gervinho, who had come on for Lukas Podolski, for Andrey Arshavin, and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The little Russian's first involvement was to float a cross into the box, after leaving Jamie Mackie, who had to fill in at right back due to Mbia's dismissal, for dead. The cross was perfectly met by Giroud, only for Cesar to make a blinding save. Arteta then headed in the rebound onto the crossbar, before getting a second bite at it to plod the ball home, much to the delight of the increasingly nervous supporters. There was a little doubt of an offside on Arteta, but Arsenal will take all the luck that comes their way.
Cesar then kept QPR in the contest with a couple of staggering saves - the first one off a wonderful strike from Ramsey and the second off a curler from Cazorla.
Esteban Granero had a glorious opportunity to equalize right at the death, but shot wide after being put through by Mackie. The provider then made a brilliant solo run from the halfway line, but his shot from close-range was well saved by Vito Mannone, who for the most part of the game, was a mere spectator.
Arsene Wenger will know there is still a lot of work to be done, but will be delighted to take home all three points after suffering two straight defeats, and ever more happy to see his talisman Wilshere make a successful return.
Results: Aston Villa 1-1 Norwich; Arsenal 1-0 QPR; Reading 3-3 Fulham; Stoke 0-0 Sunderland; Wigan 2-1 West Ham.
