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Nicklas Bendtner's late winner broke a stubborn Bolton resistance at the Emirates and gave Arsenal a hard-earned 1-0 victory.

The Danish striker, on as a second-half substitute, slid in to meet Robin van Persie's clipped cross on 84 minutes and beat Jussi Jaaskelainen at his near post to earn the home side three vital points.

The result means Arsenal remain above Everton in fifth place in the Premier League, and are now level with fourth-placed Manchester United - although the champions have three games in hand.

Bolton had withstood a barrage of attacks from Arsene Wenger's team before the breakthrough, with Van Persie hitting the post and Emmanuel Adebayor denied by a fine block from Andy O'Brien in the second half.

The encounter was a heavily one-sided affair, which saw Arsenal camped in the Bolton half for long periods and dominate possession.

It was quickly evident that Gary Megson's visitors had come to defend. With Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander set far adrift from their eight outfield team-mates Bolton failed to muster a single attempt on goal in the opening period.

But with Gavin McCann and Ricardo Gardner toiling tirelessly in midfield Bolton succeeded in frustrating a strangely subdued Arsenal, who for all their dominance could not fashion a clear-cut opening.

The home side were not without intent. When Samir Nasri found Van Persie with a driven pass on 13 minutes the Dutchman controlled instantly with a knee and swivelled to drive just over the bar from 20 yards.

Van Persie blazed another shot over on 27 minutes, this time latching on to a weak clearance from Bolton's otherwise immaculate defence.

Arsenal could get no closer than speculative long-range efforts, however, and went into the break to a muted reception from the clearly frustrated home support.

With the second half finally came an attempt on goal for Bolton, but Matthew Taylor's header from Mustapha Riga's cross on 52 minutes barely troubled Manuel Almunia in the Arsenal goal.

After their brief sojourn forward, Bolton reverted to type for the rest of the match - packing bodies behind the ball and inviting Arsenal to come forward.

On the hour mark Gael Clichy crossed low for Adebayor from the left. The striker turned sharply, but his low shot was straight at Jaaskelainen.

Minutes later Nasri released Adebayor inside box with an exquisite pass, but this time O'Brien was on hand to block his goal-bound shot with a fine piece of defending.

On 70 minutes Arsenal came closer still. Van Persie twisted and turned to create space inside the area and shot against the right upright with Jaaskelainen beaten.

When the breakthrough finally came it owed much to the vision of Dutchman, who was without question Arsenal's best player.

Clichy found Van Persie on the left and he found Bendtner with a curling left-foot cross that invited the forward to lunge forward and poke past Jaaskelainen.

Having shown virtually no ambition throughout, Bolton suddenly found themselves behind and were forced to change tact. Almost immediately a chance presented itself to Davies, but the striker shot straight at Almunia.

With that ended Bolton's hopes of salvaging a point, but in truth victory for Arsenal could hardly have been more deserved.

Will Tidey / Eurosport