London: Arsenal scored two goals late in the first half and then hung on for a 2-1 win at West Ham in an entertaining London derby to climb above its opponent into fifth place in the Premier League on Sunday.
West Ham had the better of the opening 40 minutes at Upton Park but Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla was then tripped in the area and converted the penalty in the 41st to put the visitors ahead. Danny Welbeck doubled the lead three minutes later after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain cut into the area from the right and squared a ball to the striker, who tapped it into an empty net from close range.
West Ham kept pressing after the break and Cheikhou Kouyate pulled one back when he rose above Mathieu Debuchy to head into the net in the 54th.
Arsenal had several chances for a third on counterattacks, and then withstood a series of late attacks for its second 2-1 win in three days.
"This game was more about fighting than being creative, but you need to have that in England, especially when you played two days ago," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "We gave so much physically (against Queens Park Rangers) that I was worried for this game. We knew before the game we would have to dig deep because we were jaded, but we did that.
"It's vital to re-establish ourselves in the top four. We have done it for 17 years so we are entitled to at least believe we can do it."
Arsenal can dislodge Southampton from fourth place on Thursday by winning at the south-coast club.
