Arsene Wenger: 'We can learn from every game but, overall, we're pleased because we go home with three points'

Published: 21 February, 2014 
by PAUL COWLING at Selhurst Park 

Premier League 
CRYSTAL PALACE 1, ARSENAL 2 

ARSENE Wenger admitted his side were "fortunate" to win away at Crystal Palace this afternoon (Saturday) after Arsenal survived a late scare to secure a 2-1 victory. 

A first-half Santi Cazorla penalty and a tap-in from Olivier Giroud looked to have put the Gunners on the road to a comfortable victory. But deep into second-half injury time Palace grabbed a goal back, before then hitting the post right at the death. 

"We missed a chance for 3-0, and then at 2-1 were were a bit fortunate," said Wenger after the match.

"The players switched off. They thought it was done, but you can't do that in the Premier League." 

"But it was a very important win for us," added Wenger, mindful that Manchester United had lost away at Swansea.

Arsenal were awarded a penalty as early as the sixth minute after Danny Welbeck drew an unnecessary foul from Palace defender Pape Souare. Up stepped Cazorla, to coolly slot home his eighth goal of the season. 

In added time of a dire first half Giroud put the Gunners 2-0 up. Alexis Sanchez crossed for Welbeck, whose shot was parried by Palace keeper Julian Speroni, and Giroud followed up the rebound to double Arsenal's lead. 

Sanchez should have made it 3-0 on 56 minutes. Mesut Ozil charged out of defence and set up Sanchez, but the Chilean dinked his shot just wide of the right-hand post. 

With the score at 2-0 Palace were not entirely out of the game. They offered more of a threat in the second half, but still failed to test David Ospina in the Arsenal goal. That was until injury time. In a frantic finish substitute Glenn Murray bundled the ball home from close range to score what looked like a consolation for Palace. 

With seconds left, Murray almost scored again as his powerful header cannoned off the post. 

"I think it was about fighting. Our central defence played very well in a physical and direct game," said a relieved Wenger.

"We can learn from every game but, overall, we're pleased because we go home with three points."

ARSENAL: Ospina, Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Cazorla, Coquelin, Ozil (Rosicky, 76), Welbeck (Gibbs, 76), Giroud, Sanchez (Gabriel Paulista, 89). 
Subs not used: Szczesny, Wilshere, Walcott, Bellerin.
Attendance: 24,721