Gunners on song

Alex Song's late header gave Barclays Premier League title chasers Arsenal a 1-0 victory over West Ham to deny the bottom club a deserved point at Emirates Stadium.

Robert Green, in front of watching England manager Fabio Capello, had pulled off a string of fine saves to keep the Gunners at bay.

However, with just two minutes left, Song dived to head home Gael Clichy's cross as improving Arsenal kept up the pressure on leaders Chelsea.

Arsenal started brightly, with Andrey Arshavin put away down the left a couple of times, but the Russian was unable to make the most of the openings.

Bacary Sagna then arrived on the end of Song's through pass to pull the ball back for Cesc Fabregas, who swept it goalwards, but Green produced a superb reflex save to deny the Arsenal captain.

West Ham remained positive, though, as Mark Noble ran at the Arsenal defence, and his 22-yard strike was straight at Lukasz Fabianski.

Green again denied Arsenal when he kept out Song's angled drive and from the resulting corner, the often-criticised England keeper flicked over Sebastien Squillaci's looping header.

Luis Boa Morte was cautioned for pushing over Denilson as the Brazilian charged forwards. From the resulting free-kick, around 35 yards out, Samir Nasri crashed the ball against the crossbar.

With 23 minutes left, Arsene Wenger turned to Theo Walcott as the England man replaced Denilson Fabregas soon sent Walcott away down the right, and he slid the ball under Green - only for it to come back off the inside of the far post.

Green came to the Hammers rescue when he saved Walcott's deflected effort before keeping out Fabregas' snapshot. However, the Irons keeper was finally beaten with just two minutes left when Song headed in Clichy's cross at the far post.