Arsenal went some way to putting a troubled week behind them with a 2-1 victory over Reading at the Emirates Stadium.
A run of three straight defeats coupled with the fallout from the mass brawl at the end of the Carling Cup final had left Arsene Wenger not only less than impressed with the powers at be in Soho Square, but also with more than one or two selection worries through suspension and injury.
However, talk of a crisis proved unfounded as the patched-up Gunners proved too strong for the Premiership surprise packages and made the most of Liverpool's defeat to Manchester United by closing the gap on third place to just one point.
• Confidence high, says Wenger
After one of the misses of the season from Cesc Fabregas, second-half goals via Brazilian duo Gilberto, from a penalty, and Julio Baptista proved enough for victory.
However, there was a tense finale when Fabregas put through his own net following a Reading corner.
But now immediate attentions will turn to Wednesday night's crucial Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven, when at least Wenger will be able to welcome back his suspended trio. Following this win, though, perhaps he will rest just a little easier.
It had been a positive start by the hosts, Freddie Ljungberg almost getting on the end of a chip into the penalty area by Fabregas.
Theo Walcott - who scored his first senior goal for the club in last weekend's Carling Cup final - was looking lively in attack. However, Arsenal lacked a telling pass to release the pacy teenager.
After 13 minutes the ball broke to Baptista on the penalty spot following good work down the right. The Brazilian took a touch to find space, but could only drill his shot wide.
A quick counter-attack from just outside the Arsenal area and a neat interchange of passes saw Ljungberg put clear through the heart of the Reading defence. However, his low strike from the edge of the Royals box was beaten away by keeper Marcus Hahnemann.
Reading remained calm and slowly started to see more of the ball, if without really testing the Arsenal back line.
The home side then somehow contrived to miss the best opening of the game on 30 minutes.
Baptista stole possession off James Harper in the six-yard box. He drew the keeper before laying a pass back across to Fabregas. The ball was slightly behind his team-mate, who miskicked completely with the goal at his mercy and the chance went begging.
The home side were now enjoying their best spell, but again could not find the telling pass to open up the Reading defence.
At the start of the second half Fabregas saw his well-struck 25-yard effort turned away acrobatically by Hahnemann.
On 51 minutes Arsenal were awarded a penalty. Gael Clichy got ahead of Andre Bikey on the edge of the area and the Reading defender clearly tugged at the Frenchman, with contact continuing well into the box before Clichy was nudged over. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Gilberto had missed one at Bolton in the FA Cup recently - but the stand-in captain made no mistake this time, beating Hahnemann low into the right corner past the outstretched hand of the keeper.
Arsenal were soon on the attack again. Walcott cut in from the left and curled just wide of the far post from 18 yards.
On 60 minutes, a delicate chip from Fabregas picked out the lively England youngster in the penalty area - but Hahnemann was off his line quickly to make an important block.
Baptista soon showed him how it should be done, as Arsenal doubled their lead on 62 minutes.
A quick break following a Reading corner saw Johan Djourou release Denilson, who in turn picked out his fellow Brazilian making progress down the left.
The striker - on loan from Real Madrid - carried the ball on towards the edge of the area, where he simply barged past Royals skipper Graeme Murty and blasted a low strike under Hahnemann from six yards.
Reading were in danger of being torn apart on the counter-attack, but could have pulled a goal back when Sidwell powered his header over from a corner.
Arsenal then failed to deal with a ball into the six-yard box - only for Sidwell to drag his shot across goal and wide of the far post.
Reading were now in danger of being hit on the counter-attack. Baptista almost added a second, while substitute Jeremie Aliadiere saw his effort correctly ruled out for offside.
Reading pulled one back with three minutes to go. A corner from the left was flicked on at the near post - and Fabregas stuck out a boot to divert the ball past Jens Lehmann.
It needed a fine save at his near post from the German to keep out Sidwell's fierce drive, before Arsenal safely saw out four minutes of stoppage time.
• Confidence high, says Wenger
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted victory over Reading at the Emirates Stadium provided a welcome end to a difficult week.
The Gunners boss had seen the fall-out from the brawl at the Carling Cup final rob him of three players through suspension and captain Thierry Henry was also out injured.
But Wenger's makeshift side still had enough quality to secure a 2-1 win which closed the gap on third-placed Liverpool to a point.
Wenger said: 'After the week we have had, it was very important for us to get the win today.
'A bad result would have pushed us into a bit of a crisis, confidence-wise - but three points gets us into a good position in terms of qualifying for the Champions League [against PSV Eindhoven] and takes off some of the pressure.
'When we were two up, it looked like we could have won by three or four but by the end it could easily have been 2-2,' said Wenger.
'We became shaky and we missed every time on our counter-attacks.' The Arsenal manager added: 'Reading are a correct side - they are one of the few teams who have come here and tried to play.
'They are very good passers, they are dangerous on set-pieces and in the top two or three in terms of their physical strength in the whole league.'
Manchester United further strengthened their grip at the top of the table with a late 1-0 win at Anfield.
Wenger reflected: 'It looks like it is their year and what is good for them is that their belief will be strengthened by their last two results.'
The Arsenal manager must now regroup his squad and prepare for Wednesday's European tie, when they must overturn a 1-0 deficit, but will be boosted by the availability of Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue and striker Emmanuel Adebayor - all serving three-match domestic bans.
Wenger said: 'It is important we are relaxed against PSV and take our chances.
'We have to believe in what we do and play the football we can play. Hopefully that will be enough.
'They will be cautious, wait for us in their own half and hope we become impatient.
'We have to be dynamic and patient at the same time and that is not very easy, but I believe we can do it.'
Royals boss Steve Coppell said: ''The one thing you have to remember here is that Arsenal will have more possession than you. Ironically, the bolder you are, the greater chance you have of getting a hiding.
'A lot of teams have shown that if you are circumspect, the more chance you have of frustrating Arsenal and winning the game.
'Both their goals today came from our attacks and that more or less proves the theory.
'If we had really gone for it, we would have been hammered. I have no qualms about the way we played or set ourselves up.'
The Reading manager accepted: 'We are new kids on the block in this league and they are European Cup finalists, so it is not a level playing field.
'They are bigger and better than us and we can only aspire to be competitive. We have a long way to go.'