Arsenal held on to beat QPR at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon, despite Olivier Giroud being sent off

Published: 26 December, 2014 
by STEVE BARNETT at the Emirates Stadium 

Premier League 
ARSENAL 2, QPR 1 

ARSENAL will be hoping they can "deal with Olivier Giroud's mistake" on Sunday when they continue their festive football programme away at West Ham. 

The French striker was sent off just eight minutes into the second half of the Gunners' Boxing Day clash against Queens Park Rangers after headbutting Nedum Onuoha. 

Giroud will now miss Sunday's trip to Upton Park, along with another tough league fixture away at Southampton and the FA Cup third round fixture against Hull at the Emirates Stadium. 

Manager Arsene Wenger is hopeful the three-match suspension will be Giroud's last, but admits it's a problem he could have done without. 

"It was a deserved red card," said Wenger. "Madness is a strong word, he didn't kill him. But he touched him and should not have done it. He should have been in control. 

"Olivier Giroud knows he made a mistake and I know him well enough to think that he will not do it again."

"Honestly, you never need that," added Wenger. "In my job you sometimes have to deal with the strengths and sometimes the mistakes of people." 

On paper QPR's trip across the capital didn't look like one that was going to present Arsenal with much of a problem – especially after eight minutes when referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot to give Wenger's side a penalty. 

Former Gunner Armand Traore brought down Alexis Sanchez, and the winger quickly dusted himself off to take the resulting spot-kick. But Rob Green guessed correctly and dived down to his left to comfortably save what was, in truth, a tame effort. 

Sanchez made amends in the 37th minute, however, when he headed home Kieran Gibbs's drilled cross following good work from Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck and Santi Cazorla. 

Giroud gifted QPR a lifeline in the 53rd minute when he lashed out at Onuoha, putting a much-needed three points at risk. 

Rosicky eased the pressure just after the hour mark when he added the finishing touches to yet another moment of magic from Sanchez, who ghosted between two QPR defenders before picking out his team-mate. 

The visitors set up a nervy climax when Charlie Austin converted from the spot in the 79th minute after Mathieu Debuchy felled substitute Junior Hoilett, although replays showed that the defender got the slightest of touches on the ball. 

It proved not to matter in the end, however, as Arsenal held on to earn Wenger his 400th Premier League victory, his 600th in all competitions. 

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs, Rosicky (Chambers, 83), Flamini, Cazorla, Sanchez, Giroud (red card, 53), Welbeck (Coquelin, 88). 
Subs not used: Ospina, Bellerin, Walcott, Podolski, Campbell. 
Attendance: 59,947.