Arsenal 2-1 Birmingham City - Barclays Premier Leagu

Arsenal got their Barclays Premier League campaign back on track with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Birmingham City - but had Jack Wilshere sent off in stoppage time for a rash challenge.

The Blues took a shock lead through Nikola Zigic after 33 minutes as once again the Gunners - who had lost their past two league mastches before the international break - failed to make the most of early possession.

However, Samir Nasri levelled with a penalty just before half-time, before Marouane Chamakh slotted home a well-taken effort two minutes after the restart which proved enough for all three points.

The win was soured late on, however, when England teenager Wilshere showed his immaturity with a reckless challenge on Zigic which earned him a straight red and a three-match ban.

Defeat at Chelsea last time out had left Arsenal some seven points off the pace, and manager Arsene Wenger had called on his team to produce a strong response from kick-off.

It was almost that as Chamakh went close after just four minutes following a neat one-two with Wilshere on the edge of Birmingham's box, but Stephen Carr blocked his side-foot effort.

Arsenal suffered a shock 3-2 defeat against West Bromwich Albion in their previous match here last month - and there was more frustration for the home supporters during the first quarter-of-an-hour following some resolute defending by Birmingham.

On 17 minutes, Sebastien Squillaci headed in Samir Nasri's chipped free-kick from the right wing, but the offside flag was quickly up.

Arsenal were presented another golden opportunity on 24 minutes when a soft back pass from former Arsenal midfielder Sebastian Larsson in his own penalty area gifted Gael Clichy a free shot at goal from 10 yards, but the full-back dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Gunners goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski had not really been troubled, but needed to be alert to collect an inadvertent backward header from Emmanuel Eboue, which was set for the top corner, after a free-kick into the Arsenal box.

The Blues, however, continued to look dangerous from set-pieces and it was no real surprise when the visitors went ahead after 33 minutes.

A throw-in was fed back to Keith Fahey, and his sweeping cross was met by Zigic, who got up above Johan Djourou to power a header back into the bottom corner for the Serbian's first Barclays Premier League goal.

Birmingham almost snatched a second when Roger Johnson knocked the ball back across the six-yard box, but Fahey blazed over as he got in the way of Zigic.

Arsenal were then handed a lifeline five minutes before the break when Scott Dann clipped Chamakh's trailing leg and referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot.

Nasri made no mistake as he crashed in his fifth goal of the season.

Arsenal went ahead just after half-time.

Wilshere played the ball into the left side of the penalty area, where Chamakh ghosted past Carr before holding off Dann as he rounded the goalkeeper to roll home his fifth goal of the season from a tight angle.

Arsenal soon settled into their usual passing rhythm, as Birmingham suddenly found themselves chasing possession for long spells, but were again guilty of taking too many touches around the box when a more direct approach was required.

Wilshere did just that when charging into the left side of the penalty area before drilling an angled drive over.

Both substitute Tomas Rosicky and Nasri tested Foster from distance while the introduction of Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner for his first appearance of the season gave Arsenal a different option.

But it will be Wilshere's red card which makes the headlines after he went in late on Zigic, and must now serve a three-match ban.

Arsenal 4-1 Bolton Wanderers

Arsenal beat 10-man Bolton Wanderers 4-1 at Emirates Stadium to keep up the pressure on Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Laurent Koscielny bundled home his first Arsenal goal after 24 minutes, only for the French defender's poor back header to allow Bolton to equalise just before half-time through Johan Elmander.

Marouane Chamakh headed the hosts back in front, with Gary Cahill then sent off for a tackle from behind on the Moroccan.

Alex Song netted Arsenal's 1,000th Premier League goal under manager Arsene Wenger and substitute Carlos Vela stroked in number four with seven minutes left.

As expected, the home side made all the early running, with captain Cesc Fabregas, who has a fine personal record against Bolton, having a shot blocked after cutting into the right side of the area.

Andrey Arshavin should have made it 1-0 after latching onto a brilliant through ball by Tomas Rosicky, but Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan - making his first Premier League start in place of the suspended Jussi Jaaskelainen - was out quickly to close the Russian down at the edge of the penalty area.

The Czech midfielder then had a go himself, driving an angled shot just over as Arsenal continued to press.

Bolton - who now play a much-changed style under Owen Coyle - found an opening on 12 minutes when a knockdown by former Gunner Fabrice Muamba fell to Kevin Davies, but the striker's shot on the turn was held by Manuel Almunia.

The Gunners were ahead after 24 minutes.

Jack Wilshere's angled chip across the penalty area picked out Fabregas' run at the far post, and his cutback was bundled in by Koscielny following a rebound from Bogdan.

The Hungarian was being kept busy, as a fine passing move ended with Rosicky drilling in a low, angled shot which produced another fine reaction block from the Bolton shot stopper.

Arshavin clipped the side-netting after he just got ahead of Zat Knight before he was again denied on the breakaway, as this time Gretar Steinsson did just enough to put the Russian off balance.

Bolton snatched an equaliser just before half-time following a terrible mix up in the Arsenal defence.

Koscielny's backward header was far too soft, leaving Almunia exposed as Lee Chung-yong darted onto the loose ball.

The Korean rounded the goalkeeper, before chipping back across goal, where Elmander headed in at the far post.

The tempo was lacklustre during the opening exchanges of the second half, as both sides knew the next goal would be crucial.

Song hacked away a loose ball in the Arsenal six-yard box before Chamakh burst clear and on to the edge of the Bolton box, but again Bogdan produced a superb save.

However, there was little the Bolton goalkeeper could do moments later when, as the danger was not cleared after the resulting corner, Morocco international striker Chamakh headed in Fabregas' cross at the far post to restore Arsenal's lead after 58 minutes.

Koscielny and Davis, jumping in at full pelt, both needed treatment after a nasty clash of heads as they challenged for a ball on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area.

Moments later Stuart Attwell reached for his back pocket to show Cahill a straight red card after the England international went through the back of Chamakh right in front of the dugout.

The match suddenly developed an edge, as a few hefty challenges went in from both sides. Arsenal substitute Abou Diaby eventually had to be replaced after suffering an injury in a clash with Paul Robinson.

Song made it 3-1 when he collected a cutback from Arshavin to cleverly chip the goalkeeper from a tight angle, before substitute Vela stroked in number four with seven minutes left.

Blackburn Rovers 1 - 2 Arsenal

Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin struck as Arsenal ran out winners at Ewood Park.

Walcott, recalled by England coach Fabio Capello this week for the forthcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers, fired a stunning 19th-minute opener as the Gunners worked hard to take all three points.

Walcott was sent scampering clear down the right flank by a fine ball from Robin van Persie before cutting inside and ramming a low shot past Paul Robinson.

Rovers made life hard for Arsene Wenger's men and Mame Diouf's 26th-minute equaliser was the least they deserved before Arshavin won it for the visitors in the 51st minute.

Rovers started positively, with Morten Gamst Pedersen's long throw causing Manuel Almunia to enter the action early to pluck the ball off the head of Christopher Samba.

The Gunners came close to an opener in the third minute when Abou Diaby's shot in a crowded box took a heavy deflection off Vince Grella and rather fortuitously struck goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

But Rovers set about peppering the Arsenal box with high balls and their tactic nearly paid off in the ninth minute when Ryan Nelsen's header was headed off the line by Cesc Fabregas.

In a promising opening spell Fabregas then split the Rovers defence with a through-ball towards Walcott, only for Samba to get in with a superb saving challenge.

El-Hadji Diouf failed to pick out namesake Mame in acres of space in a Rovers counter-attack then in the 15th minute Samba headed just over from another Pedersen corner.

Walcott's 19th minute strike was so powerful it required lengthy half-time repairs to the net - but when Arsenal threatened to go on and win at a canter it was the home side who struck back.

Samba set off a swift counter-attack which sent El-Hadji Diouf tearing down the left where he cut inside Laurent Koscielny and squared for Mame Diouf to sweep home.

Wenger was forced to make his first change in the 34th minute when van Persie hobbled off with an ankle injury and was replaced by Marouane Chamakh.

Confidence continued to bleed back into Blackburn after the break and Pedersen was not too far away with an audacious long-range effort in the 50th minute.

But the Gunners went back ahead one minute later when a Fabregas effort in the box was blocked only to squirt clear to Arshavin, who poked past the advancing Robinson.

Nikola Kalinic blazed a left-foot shot over the bar before Allardyce made his first change introducing David Dunn in a bid to add some creativity to his midfield.

However as the match wore on Wenger's men looked increasingly to be finding their rhythm and Nelsen and Samba were working overtime to repel Arshavin and Chamakh.

But it was Walcott who always looked the biggest threat and the young striker came close to a second on 75 minutes when he lofted a long-range effort inches over the bar.

Walcott thought he had knocked home the Gunners' third at the other end only to be deemed inches offside, then substitute Jack Wilshere missed a sitter in injury time.