LONDON, Dec 22: A second-half penalty by Mikel Arteta earned Arsenal a 1-0 victory at Wigan Athletic on Saturday to move the Gunners up to third place in the Premier League.

The Spaniard dispatched his spot kick past Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi after 60 minutes following Theo Walcott’s tumble in the penalty area under a clumsy challenge from Jean Beausejour.

Arsenal’s third consecutive Premier League victory moved them above Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea onto 30 points from 18 games.

Wigan, third from bottom, had the best chance of a poor first-half when Arouna Kone sprinted through on goal but dragged a left-footed shot wide.

Arsenal were more lively after the break and Walcott, who is still to sign a new contract for the club, was denied by Al-Habsi after he was picked out by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Wigan’s response was impressive and they forced Arsenal into some desperate defending on a rain-sodden pitch.

Kone had another chance but was denied by Arsenal’s Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny and Dave Jones thumped a shot narrowly wide of the upright with Szczesny rooted to the spot.

For all the talk of a crisis enveloping Arsene Wenger’s side after their humiliating League Cup defeat at League Two minnows Bradford, the Gunners have now won their last three league matches and are back in the race to secure a Champions League place.—Reuters