Arsenal kept alive their hopes of winning the Premier League as they won 3-1 away at Blackpool on Sunday.
Goals from Abou Diaby and Emmanuel Eboue had Arsene Wenger's side 2-0 up by half-time and, although Gary Taylor-Fletcher cut the deficit during a spirited Blackpool fightback, Robin van Persie sealed the points after 76 minutes.
The win means they trail leaders Manchester United by seven points with a game in hand, and United still to go to the Emirates.
Blackpool, meanwhile, are a point above the relegation zone.
When Manuel Almunia injured his knee in the warm-up, Jens Lehmann took over in the Arsenal goal at the age of 41.
Perhaps because of that, Arsenal began uncertainly, and Blackpool dominated the early stages, and early warning for Arsenal of what was to come.
Arsenal took an 18th-minute lead, Robin van Persie taking Cesc Fabregas's pass on his chest adn squaring for Diaby to score.
Three minutes later they had a second, Andrey Arshavin playing in Eboue to finish.
Arsenal had chances to seal the game before half-time, but having left the door ajar, they found Blackpool attempting to force it open with renewed determination in the second.
Luke Varney had already fired just wide from a Charlie Adam free-kick when Taylor-Fletcher pulled one back seven minutes into the half.
DJ Campbell ran on to Jason Puncheon's through-ball, and was tripped by Lehmann, who would surely have been sent off had Taylor-Fletcher not been on hand to knock the ball into an untended net.
Two minutes later Blackpool should have had a penalty, Taylor-Fletcher being tripped by Laurent Koscielny. Referee Lee Mason, though, allowed play to continue.
Taylor Fletcher then missed a close-range header as Arsenal wobbled.
But with 14 minutes remaining, substitute Theo Walcott broke down the right and crossed for Van Persie to make the game safe.
Goals from Abou Diaby and Emmanuel Eboue had Arsene Wenger's side 2-0 up by half-time and, although Gary Taylor-Fletcher cut the deficit during a spirited Blackpool fightback, Robin van Persie sealed the points after 76 minutes.
The win means they trail leaders Manchester United by seven points with a game in hand, and United still to go to the Emirates.
Blackpool, meanwhile, are a point above the relegation zone.
When Manuel Almunia injured his knee in the warm-up, Jens Lehmann took over in the Arsenal goal at the age of 41.
Perhaps because of that, Arsenal began uncertainly, and Blackpool dominated the early stages, and early warning for Arsenal of what was to come.
Arsenal took an 18th-minute lead, Robin van Persie taking Cesc Fabregas's pass on his chest adn squaring for Diaby to score.
Three minutes later they had a second, Andrey Arshavin playing in Eboue to finish.
Arsenal had chances to seal the game before half-time, but having left the door ajar, they found Blackpool attempting to force it open with renewed determination in the second.
Luke Varney had already fired just wide from a Charlie Adam free-kick when Taylor-Fletcher pulled one back seven minutes into the half.
DJ Campbell ran on to Jason Puncheon's through-ball, and was tripped by Lehmann, who would surely have been sent off had Taylor-Fletcher not been on hand to knock the ball into an untended net.
Two minutes later Blackpool should have had a penalty, Taylor-Fletcher being tripped by Laurent Koscielny. Referee Lee Mason, though, allowed play to continue.
Taylor Fletcher then missed a close-range header as Arsenal wobbled.
But with 14 minutes remaining, substitute Theo Walcott broke down the right and crossed for Van Persie to make the game safe.
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