Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has singled out Rob Holding for a "phenomenal" showing in an otherwise "ugly" victory over West Ham United in the Premier League.
With Tottenham Hotspur temporarily returning to the top four of the table by beating Leicester City, the pressure was on Arsenal to keep their strong run of form going against the Hammers in their London derby.
Despite both teams sloppily gifting possession away in the opening exchanges, Arsenal made the breakthrough as Holding - deputising for the injured Ben White - headed home his first Premier League goal from Bukayo Saka's corner.
However, Jarrod Bowen's deflected finish off the leg of Gabriel Magalhaes ensured that David Moyes's side would restore parity before half time, but the Brazilian defender soon went from zero to hero for Arsenal.
Gabriel Martinelli's cross to the back stick met the head of an unmarked Gabriel, whose header proved too powerful for ex-Arsenal man Lukasz Fabianski to keep out in a 2-1 success for the North London club.
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Arsenal have now maintained their two-point lead over Tottenham Hotspur with only four games left to play this season, and Arteta made sure Holding's contribution did not go unnoticed.
"I said to you guys, to good people, to good things happen and Rob is another great example, but now when he plays well to give him credit, especially when he doesn't play, the way he trains, the way he is amongst the team, he's just a phenomenal person and player to have around the team and today, when you ask him to come he's always ready to do something," Arteta said during his post-match press conference.
"Rob Holding is really good being Rob Holding and he needs to be really happy with what he's done today for the team."
Arsenal were far from their best throughout the contest at the London Stadium, but Arteta was pleased to see his side's character come to the fore in an "ugly" derby victory.
"In England you say 'win ugly', I think from my point of view today we won ugly, and I'm extremely happy to see a team that has this capacity to find a way to win and show the character that they showed today," the Spaniard added.
"It's a massive win, under very difficult circumstances because we put ourselves in real problems, especially with our decision-making and in ball possessions, and the spaces we were attacking, and the timing of it and the efficiency of it. But the team showed huge character, not to give up, to continue trying to do the right things."
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The Gunners were dealt an early blow before the game as White missed out due to hamstring tightness, while Saka and Takehiro Tomiyasu both made the first XI - the latter starting for the first time since New Year's Day in the Premier League.
Fears of further injuries were raised when the pair trudged off the field in the second half, but Arteta sought to alleviate any fears of long-term issues for the duo.
"Ben got injured against Manchester United, he felt a muscular problem and we checked him, and we will have to access him in the next few days to see how he is," Arteta told reporters.
"Bukayo was fine, he was really fatigued and he has been through a little injury as well. Tomiyasu is just that he had been out for so long and could not continue. Hopefully he's fine."
Arsenal's next Premier League fixture sees them welcome Leeds United to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday before a potentially season-defining North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur on May 12.
Ben Knapton
