Published: 5 March, 2015

ARSENE Wenger praised the “desperate” Alexis Sanchez after the Chilean striker scored what proved to be the winner away at QPR last night (Wednesday).  

Arsenal produced an impressive second-half display at Loftus Road to record their fourth consecutive Premier League win and hold on to third place in the table. 

Olivier Giroud opened the scoring just after the hour mark, poking home after Kieran Gibbs's shot was blocked. But it was the Sanchez strike five minutes later that caught Wenger's eye as the Arsenal No.17 twisted and turned his way into the penalty area before shooting low past the impressive Rob Green. 

“When you don't score for seven or eight games, it is always on your mind,” said Wenger. “But he took his chance well. He never gives up, that is the strength of a good striker. 

“He is resilient. He looked desperate to score, and the fact that he did shows that he has great mental strength.” 

Charlie Austin grabbed a late consolation as the Gunners held out for a vital 2-1 victory. 

“At the end we were nervous,” added Wenger. “QPR put a shift in, and were very physical. At 2-1 you never know.” 

Meanwhile Spurs put their Wembley defeat behind them with a 3-2 win over Swansea. 

But the win was the last thing fans were thinking about as they awaited news on Swans’ striker Bafetimbi Gomis, who collapsed just minutes into the match at White Hart Lane. 

Gomis, who has a history of fainting, fell to the ground in the centre circle not long after Nacer Chadli had given the home side a seventh-minute lead. Tottenham players had their hands on their heads as the 29-year-old was tended to by medical staff in an incident that brought back memories of Fabrice Muamba’s cardiac arrest at the same ground in 2012. 

Thankfully the striker acknowledged the applause from the crowd as he was stretchered off and Swansea said afterwards that he is "fine". 

The visitors equalised through Ki Sung-yeung soon after play restarted. But Ryan Mason’s first league goal early in the second half restored Spurs’ lead and Andros Townsend made it 3-1 before Gylfi Sigurdsson set up a tense finish. 

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said after the game: “We deserved this victory. We had 16 shots on goal and dominated possession, it was only in the last minute Swansea came close.”