Arsene Wenger declared Arsenal are back "where we feel comfortable" at the top of the Barclaycard Premiership table after a five-goal display against West Bromwich Albion at Highbury.
However, in a performance which also contained some defensive faults, Wenger admitted only the honesty of West Brom striker Scott Dobie had prevented Martin Keown being sent off.
"We are where we want to be, where we feel comfortable. There will be quite a fight for that seat - but it looks like we will fight hard to stay in that position," declared Wenger.
"There were some great things out there. We played some tremendous football in the first-half, with great movement and great passing. West Brom came back into it in the second-half and fought very hard for every ball. We were always in control, but we lost some concentration. Their goals were more down to a lack of concentration rather than a lack of quality."
Wenger was quick to praise Dobie for not going down when Keown - the last defender - tangled with him just outside the penalty area.
He said: "The referee played advantage and then couldn't give Martin a red card as the striker had tried to take the chance. If he had gone down, then maybe it could have been a red card instead. He had a great reaction, but I'd expect my strikers to try to score a goal from that position as well."
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