Nasri (pen) 41       Zigic 33

                                                                                           Chamakh 47

Arsenal came from behind to beat a stubborn Birmingham City at the Emirates and were left hanging on at the end after the previously impressive Jack Wilshere was sent-off late on.

The Gunners netted early on but Sebastien Squillachi’s header from Samr Nasri’s free-kick was disallowed for the tightest of offsides.

Jack Wilshere was dominating midfield and his combination with Marouane Chamakh nearly set up the Moroccan striker, only for Birmingham defender Steven Carr to block his shot.

And the Blues took the lead against the run of play on 33 minutes when giant Serbian striker Nikola Zigic headed home Keith Fahey’s excellent left-wing cross.

Zigic blazed over a decent chance to double the visitors’ advantage moments later.

And Arsenal were level on 41 minutes, Samr Nasri sending keeper Ben Foster the wrong way with his penalty after Chamakh had fallen under the merest of challenges by Scott Dann.

Marouane Chamakh himself gave Arsenal the lead two minutes after the interval, latching onto Wilshere’s neat pass and somehow evading Carr’s tackle and Foster’s dive before rolling the ball into the net left-footed.

Wilshere saw red for a studs-up challenge on Zigic in stoppage time. But Arsenal held on for the three remaining minutes.