Wenger relieved after late win

The visitors - who could only field three outfield players on the substitutes' bench because of injury and suspensions - were six minutes from securing a battling goalless draw when substitute Nicklas Bendtner fired in a volley at the far post.

Wenger said: "We are already swimming enough against the stream not to drop points against Bolton. We were solid defensively and now we have won 1-0 three times, which is a good basis."

He added: "We must just take it game by game because every match is difficult."

Wenger admitted breaking down Bolton had proved difficult, with more than an hour played before the home side created their first decent chance.

"It was a difficult game with them having two deep lines," he said. "We could not find a way through and maybe our passing was not incisive enough.

"They were strong in the challenge and their only focus was to defend well.

"It looked like it could be 0-0 as we never looked like conceding, but we did not create many chances and we finished in a good old-fashioned 4-2-4 to win the game."

It was a first goal since the end of November for Bendtner, who turns 21 next week, and Wenger believes the big Dane has a promising future.

"He had injury problems with his ankle and it affected his game, but now in training he looks sharp again," said Wenger. "He had some difficult periods, but now slowly he is getting back to where he needs to be."