Walcott and Bendtner return to squad as Arsenal win 2-1

Arsenal earned a much needed 3 points after they beat Birmingham 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Emirates. A Samir Nasri penalty and a Chamakh goal gave the hosts the victory after Zigic gave the visitors the lead. Jack Wilshere was sent off for the Gunners. Alexander Hleb was playing for Birmingham against the club he said he should never have left.

Arsenal had a great early chance to give the hosts the lead after a neat 1-2 between Wilshere and Chamakh but it resulted in the defender making a great block.
The Gunners then thought they had taken the lead when Nasri delivered a freekick from the left, Squillaci leapt the highest to head home but the linesman's flag was up for offside.

Arsenal had started very well and were pressing the visitors enormously when Larsson gifted the ball to Clichy but he only managed to drill his shot just wide.

Then out of the blue Birmingham took the lead on 33 minutes when 6ft 8 striker Zigic beat Djourou in the air and headed the ball past Fabianski to score the first goal of the game.
Birmingham had now livened up and Zigic had another great chance but he skied his shot miles over the bar.

4 minutes before half time Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Scott Dann brought down Chamakh in the area. Nasri stepped up to take the penalty and sent Foster the wrong way and grabbed Arsenal's equaliser.

The score at half time was Arsenal 1-1 Birmingham.

2 minutes into the second half Arsenal grabbed the lead when Chamakh danced around 2 players and slotted the ball past Foster to make the score 2-1.
Arsenal were pressing well again and Wilshere grabbed an opportunity to extend the Gunners lead but smashed his shot well over the bar.

Moments from the end of the game Jack Wilshere was shown his first career red card after a dangerous tackle on Nikola Zigic. A sour end to the game for Wilshere who had been playing well.

The final score ended Arsenal 2-1 Birmingham.

The teams lineups:
Arsenal: Fabianski, Eboue, Squillaci, Djourou, Clichy, Arshavin(70), Wilshere, Nasri, Diaby, Song, Chamakh(79).
Subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Rosicky(70), Walcott, Denilson, Vela, Bendtner(79).

Birmingham: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Hleb, Fahey(78), Bowyer(80), Ferguson, Larsson, Zigic.
Subs: Taylor, Jiranek, Murphy(78), Michel, O'Connor(80), Derbyshire, Phillips.

My man of the match: Marouane Chamakh

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 60,070