Wenger relieved after season-saving win

Arsene Wenger admitted Arsenal had saved their season with a stirring second-half comeback to beat Everton 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners were confronting the grim prospect of consecutive home defeats after falling behind to Leon Osman's well taken goal on Saturday.

The sense of impending crisis was magnified by a chorus of boos at half-time, but Arsenal were transformed in the second period and eventually cruised home thanks to strikes from Samir Nasri, Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott.

Wenger's team remain four points behind joint-leaders Chelsea and Liverpool, having not played any of last season's top six, but the Frenchman admitted his hopes of a fourth Premier League title would have been in tatters had they slumped to another defeat.

“We played our season today – we couldn't afford another defeat,” he said. “I think the way we came back and played very well in the second half showed the personality that we have.

“We showed personality and mental strength and that will be very important for the rest of the season.

“I wasn't nervous at half time because I had confidence and belief that we would go on to change the game and win it.”

Arsenal did just that courtesy of Nasri, who belted in a low shot just after the break after a set-up from Mikael Silvestre, and van Persie, who atoned for a string of glaring misses by nodding in from close range in the 70th minute.

It was left to Walcott to apply the coup de grace, the England youngster crunching in from close range in the dying seconds.

Victory provided a timely fillip for Wenger, whose main concerns ahead of Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Fenerbahce surround the fitness of his key players.

Nasri and Kolo Toure both limped off here with injuries and while the French winger is expected to recover, Toure's shoulder problem looks certain to prevent him travelling to Turkey.

He is joined on the sidelines by William Gallas and Bacary Sagna, and Wenger will give late fitness tests to Nicklas Bendtner and Johan Djourou.

For Everton, the optimism generated by manager David Moyes' decision to sign a new five-year contract did not take long to dissipate.

A perky first-half performance, capped by Osman' fine goal, boded well but they were over-run in the second half and remain deep in trouble at the foot of the table.

“It was a bit cruel to lose the game but they are a very good side and they can be hard to keep out,” Moyes said. “We played really well in the first 45 and could have been 2-0 up at half-time. But conceding at the start of the second half was a real blow.”

Moyes also admitted that Everton must attract foreign investors if they are to develop into a genuine force.

A Dubai-based group which had been showing interest in Championship club Charlton are reportedly keen to buy out current chairman Bill Kenwright in a 200 million pounds deal and Moyes would welcome a move, provided their intentions for the club are sound.

He added: “Bill has said a takeover is probably the way forward and I trust him to get the right people in if they are right for us.”