Arsenal overcome Birmingham

London - Arsenal came back from a goal down to beat Birmingham 2-1 on Saturday, easing pressure on manager Arsene Wenger as his team tries to play catch-up in the English Premier League title race.

Birmingham took the lead in the 33rd minute, when towering forward Nikola Zigic rose above the Arsenal defense deep in the area and met a cross from Keith Fahey to beat goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski at his far post.

It was a rare attack by a Birmingham side that preferred to sit back and try to absorb pressure from Arsenal.

Arsenal won a penalty before halftime when striker Marouane Chamakh was brought down in the box by Scott Dann. TV replays showed there was contact, but Chamakh appeared to be going down before he was touched. Samir Nasri converted from the spot in the 41st to make the score 1-1.

Chamakh put the Gunners ahead in the 47th, after Alex Song backheeled the ball to Jack Wilshere, who played through the Morocco international. Chamakh ghosted past defender Stephen Carr and rounded goalkeeper Ben Foster to slot the ball home.

Arsenal fans thought it was their team that should have been the first on the scoresheet in the 17th. But Sebastien Squallaci was flagged just offside after heading the ball past Foster from a free kick by Nasri.

It was Arsenal's first win in the Premier League since September 11, when the Gunners beat Bolton 4-1. The three games after that before Saturday's match were a 1-1 draw against Sunderland, which scored a last-gasp equaliser, a shock 3-2 defeat at home to West Brom and a 2-0 loss to Chelsea.

Wenger must await the outcome of the Chelsea match against Aston Villa later Saturday to see how much ground Arsenal has regained on the league leader.

Wenger had criticised dangerous "scissor-kick" tackles before the match, but it was two of his players that were guilty of that type of challenge.

Wilshere was sent off with a straight red card minutes before the final whistle after a two-footed challenge on Zigic. Earlier in the second half, Emmanuel Eboue was booked for a scissor-kick challenge on a Birmingham player.