Birmingham: Yossi Benayoun scored his first Premier League goal for Arsenal on Wednesday, striking with three minutes left to earn the Gunners a 2-1 win at Aston Villa.
Villa seemed to have earned a point when Marcus Albrighton equalized Robin van Persie's 17th-minute penalty with the 20,000th goal since the Premier League began in August 1992.
But on-loan Chelsea midfielder Benayoun headed in Van Persie's corner to secure Arsenal's eighth win from 10 matches.
Arsenal brought Emmanuel Frimpong into midfield in place of the suspended Alex Song and Francis Coquelin started at right-back as Arsene Wenger’s full-back shortage continues.
The home side started the game brightly and nearly opened the scoring within five minutes, Gabriel Agbonlahor’s bullet header forcing a magnificent reaction save out of Wojciech Szczesny.
The Polish keeper was once again worked by Agbonlahor, getting to the England striker’s cross with Stephen Ireland lurking dangerously.
Arsenal had endured a tough start but were given the perfect chance to take the lead after 15 minutes. Van Persie's 16th goal of the season, scored after Ciaran Clark pulled Theo Walcott back in the area, meant that the Netherlands striker matched Thierry Henry's club record total of 34 Premier League goals in a calendar year.
Villa were looking to work their way back into the game, Stilian Petrov forcing Szczesny to save a 30-yard effort and Albrighton’s cross worrying the Arsenal backline with Ireland again close.
The Gunners’ slick passing was dangerous on the break though, and good work from van Persie sent Aaron Ramsey bursting through midfield but the Welshman rushed his shot from the edge of the area with Walcott well-placed in the right channel.
A mistake by Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen left Albrighton through on goal and the winger slipped the ball wide of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for a 54th-minute equalizer.
The game had opened up but a lack of cutting edge at both ends was costing both sides dearly, and Arsenal sent Tomas Rosicky on in place of Frimpong in an attempt to wrestle the initiative back.
Van Persie was looking the Gunners' most likely source of a goal when on the ball and he set off on a twisting run towards the box, going past Richard Dunne before falling under Stephen Warnock's challenge in the box.
Villa looked as though they had secured a valuable point to ease the pressure on under-fire manager Alex McLeish until Israel international Benayoun was first to Van Persie's corner and nodded it past goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Villa defender Alan Hutton was cautioned for a foul on Van Persie and then sent off in injury time for a second yellow card when he fouled Vermaelen.
Arsenal moved level on 32 points with fourth-placed Chelsea, who are at third-placed Tottenham in Thursday's only match.
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