ARSENAL went some way to putting a troubled week behind them with a 2-1 win over Reading at the Emirates Stadium. A run of three straight defeats coupled with the fallout from the brawl at the end of the Carling Cup final had left Arsene Wenger not only less than impressed with the powers at be in Soho Square, but also with more than one or two selection worries through suspension and injury.

However, talk of a crisis proved unfounded as the patched-up Gunners proved too strong for the Premiership's surprise package and made the most of Liverpool's defeat to Manchester United by closing the gap on third place to just one point.

After one of the misses of the season from Cesc Fabregas, second-half goals via Brazilian duo Gilberto Silva, from a penalty, and Julio Baptista proved enough for victory. However, there was a tense finale when Fabregas put through his own net following a Reading corner.

It had been a positive start by the hosts, Freddie Ljungberg almost getting on the end of a chip into the penalty area by Fabregas.

Theo Walcott - who scored his first senior goal for the club in the Carling Cup final - was looking lively in attack.

However, Arsenal lacked a telling pass to release the pacy teenager. Reading remained calm and slowly started to see more of the ball, if without really testing the Arsenal back line.

The home side then somehow contrived to miss the best opening of the game on 30 minutes. Baptista stole possession off James Harper, once on Arsenal's books, in the six-yard box. He drew the keeper before laying a pass back across to Fabregas.

The ball was slightly behind his team-mate, who miskicked completely with the goal at his mercy.

Arsenal were now enjoying their best spell and were finally rewarded six minutes into the second half with a penalty. Left-back Gael Clichy got ahead of Andre Bikey on the edge of the area, before being tugged and nudged over as he entered it. Gilberto made no mistake.

And Arsenal were soon on the attack again and on 62 minutes doubled their lead. A quick break following a Reading corner saw Johan Djourou release Denilson, who in turn picked out Baptista making progress down the left. The striker simply barged past Graeme Murty and blasted a low strike under Hahnemann from six yards.

Reading were in danger of being torn apart on the counter-attack, but could have pulled a goal back when Sidwell powered his header over from a corner.

Despite just about hanging on up until then, Reading amazingly pulled one back with three minutes to go. A corner from the left was flicked on and Fabregas stuck out a boot to divert the ball past Jens Lehmann. It needed a fine save at his near post from the German to keep out Steve Sidwell's fierce drive, before Arsenal safely saw out stoppage time.