Mikel Arteta struck with six minutes remaining to give Arsenal an unconvincing 1-0 win over Queen’s Park Rangers in the Premier League on Saturday.
In a later match, Carlos Tevez scored the winner as champion Manchester City struggled to beat Swansea City 1-0.
Arsenal struggled for rhythm and penetration, and looked like going a third straight game without a goal when Stephane Mbia was sent off with 11 minutes remaining after he kicked Thomas Vermaelen.
Julio Cesar made an extraordinary reaction save as a clearance cannoned goal-wards off Nedum Onuoha, and he made another superb block in the build-up to the goal, the ball also striking the bar before Arteta forced it in from close range.
QPR is still without a win this season, as is Reading which drew 3-3 at home to Fulham.
Mikele Leigertwood put Reading ahead midway through the first half with a superb finish from Jobi McAnuff’s lay-off, but Bryan Ruiz smashed an even better strike in off the underside of the bar to level after 61 minutes.
Chris Baird headed in a John Arne Riise corner to put the away side ahead, then Garath McLeary levelled with five minutes remaining.
Dimitar Berbatov put Fulham back ahead with a typically excellent finish.
But in injury-time Hal Robson Kanu bundled in another equaliser from a free-kick.
Wigan Athletic was 2-1 winner at home to West Ham United.
Ivan Ramis volleyed Wigan into an eighth-minute lead and a James McArthur strike from just inside the box doubled that advantage two minutes after the break.
James Tomkins pulled one back in injury-time.
Michael Turner headed a 78th-minute equaliser as Norwich City drew 1-1 at Aston Villa.
Although Norwich had most of the early play, it was Villa which took the lead after 27 minutes, Christian Benteke converting a cross from Joe Bennett.
Bennett was sent off after collecting a second yellow card seven minutes into the second half, allowing Norwich to take even more control.
Stoke City and Sunderland drew their sixth games of the season in a 0-0 stalemate at the Britannia Stadium.
The results:
Manchester City 1 (Carlos Tevez 61) bt Swansea 0.
Arsenal 1 (Arteta 84) bt QPR 0; Aston Villa 1 (Benteke 27) drew with Norwich 1 (Turner 79); Reading 3 (Leigertwood 26, McCleary 85, Robson-Kanu 90) drew with Fulham 3 (Ruiz 61, Baird 77, Berbatov 88); Stoke 0 drew with Sunderland 0; Wigan 2 (Ramis 8, McArthur 47) bt West Ham 1 (Tomkins 90).
