West Ham 0
Arsenal 2

Robin Van Persie today insisted Arsenal's 2-0 win at West Ham is proof the Gunners have the durability to win the Premier League.

Arsene Wenger's side edged a hard-fought encounter at Upton Park yesterday with two late goals to move to within four points of leaders Liverpool.

With Manchester United drawing at Everton and Chelsea losing to the Reds, Dutch striker Van Persie hailed yesterday's “massive win” as evidence of Arsenal's title credentials after an own goal from Julien Faubert and a strike from substitute Emmanuel Adebayor had secured the points.

“I think this proves we have the resilience to challenge for the league, yes, because we scored a goal after more than 70 minutes and it was a tough game,” said the 25-year-old.

“They had their chances in the first half with [Craig] Bellamy and a few others. If you win this game at 2-0 at the end, it is a great job.
“The win was really important — we knew that before because at half time we knew Chelsea lost 1-0 and of course Man United had a draw so it was really important to get back and make some steps up the table.

“It was not easy. They played very well, especially in the first half an hour — they were all over the place. But we knew somehow we would get chances, especially in the second half because they gave everything in the first.
“This is what we said to each other at half-time, just keep the belief high and this is what we did. It was a big, big win for us — a massive win.”

West Ham had fought for an hour with tremendous spirit, content to play the majority of the game on the edge of their own penalty area and hit on the break through two strikers left upfield.

But the game turned on two second-half substitutions by Wenger. The Frenchman gambled on victory by withdrawing Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri for Abou Diaby and Emmanuel Adebayor, whose shot Julien Faubert turned into his own net to finally break the deadlock after 75 minutes.

The Gunners then secured the points in injury time as Adebayor took Nicklas Bendtner's pass and cooly rounded Green to slot home, leaving Wenger to hail his stars' patience.

“It was a big win for us today,'' Wenger said. “To come out of it with a frustrating 0-0 would have felt like a wasted opportunity to get closer to the top.”

West Ham striker Craig Bellamy admitted Arsenal's strength in depth was the difference between the sides.

He said: “They are an outstanding outfit, keep the ball very well and we had to work very hard.
“Sometimes you think you might be over the worst of it and then you look at Adebayor coming on and its a different level.

“It's very difficult for a lot of teams in the Premier League, we're no different. A player like Adebayor coming on is not the greatest sight you want to see. But credit to him and to Arsenal, they got the three points.”

The match marked a third successive defeat but Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola remains is confident his side will recover.

“I know it might look crazy, but I am not worried at all, because we are going to get through this,” he said. “It would be easy for me to have a go at them, but the players' commitment is fantastic and their attitude is perfect.”