Arsenal FC capitalised on Santi Cazorla's second half brace to defeat fellow Londoners Fulham FC in a Barclays Premier League encounter at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The win - which owes everything to the Spaniard's double - enabled the Gunners to retain their top spot on the PL points table.
The full-time scoreline may suggest it was a comfortable victory for the home side, but in reality, it was a hard-fought result, as the Cottagers tried their best to stifle the game and escape with a draw.
The visiting team's new boss Rene Meulensteen restored his regulars in the starting line-up after giving several fringe players a chance in the FA Cup third-round replay win over Norwich City in midweek.
The Dutchman's side almost went behind just minutes into the game when Jack Wilshere fed Mesut Ozil on the right side of the penalty area, and even though the German international's weak, right-footed effort got past Maarten Stekelenburg, Fulham's fit-again captain Brede Hangeland was there to clear it.
Coach Arsene Wenger's men increased their efforts to get a breakthrough but the opposition matched their efforts with some superb defending.
Ozil then wasted a free kick before his countryman Serge Gnabry's pass was met with a similarly wayward effort from striker Olivier Giroud.
Fulham's first real chance came in the 20th minute when former Gunner Steve Sidwell's fierce half-volley was saved by Wojciech Szczesny with his left hand. The big Pole came to his side's rescue again when Ashkan Dejagah tried to latch on to a through ball but was beaten to it.
Arsene Wenger's men then earned two free kicks in quick succession but couldn't convert either of them. The teams went into the halftime break all even.
The Gunners could have easily fallen behind at the start of the second break as Fulham debutant Dan Burn's header was goal-bound, but Per Mertesacker was at hand to ruin what would have been a dream debut for the 21-year-old.
Arsenal increased their attacks on the opposition goals and came close to opening their account with Cazorla and Gnabry's efforts before defender Laurent Koscielny's went even closer as his shot hit the post.
They finally succeeded in the 57th minute when Giroud passed to Wilshere on the left whose cut back was finished by Cazorla. Just five minutes later, the former Malaga man doubled his and his team's tally. This time, a defensive clearance by Burn fell in Cazorla's path, and he expertly hit a low drive past Stekelenburg.
A few minutes later, Arsenal fans were left worried; not because of any Fulham moves but because of a hard challenge by Sidwell on Giroud. The Frenchman took a hit on his ankle and was visibly in pain, but fortunately for the home side, he didn't suffer any damage.
With 20 minutes remaining on the clock, Lukas Podolski was introduced into the game at the expense of the excellent Gnabry. Podolski looked quite lively in his cameo and produced several impressive efforts, one of which was a sweet shot from 20-yards out that needed close attention from Stekelenburg.
Substitute Darren Bent - who has a history of scoring against Arsenal - had a decent chance to halve his team's deficit late in the game, but he couldn't cut the ball back, which was all that was required to score.
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