By Nabil Hassan
Arsenal came from a goal behind to record a well-earned victory at Bolton, and climb to the top of the Premier League table.
Kevin Davies had given Bolton an early lead when he headed home Joey O'Brien's corner from six yards out.
Arsenal responded well with Emmanuel Eboue equalising from close range, before Nicklas Bendtner bundled Khan knocked out inside first minute ...
Ferguson doubts Chelsea challenge ... home Denilson's cross a minute later.
Denilson sealed the win, side-footing Emmanuel Adebayor's low cross.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger made two key changes to the Champions League side that drew at Dynamo Kiev in midweek with Theo Walcott and Robin Van Persie replaced by Bendtner and Eboue.
Bolton started brightly with Kevin Nolan seeing his speculative drive tipped over the bar by Manuel Almunia.
Moments later, Adebayor almost opened the scoring but his goalbound shot was blocked by Andy O'Brien.
The hosts took the lead with just 13 minutes on the clock with Davies rising above Kolo Toure to head home O'Brien's corner.
Toure almost made up for his poor defending soon after, sending a half-volley just past the post.
Arsenal reacted well to going behind and soon started to find their feet in a thrilling encounter at the Reebok Stadium.
Adebayor fired against the post after playing a delightful one-two with Bendtner, before Bendtner himself had a goalbound shot deflected wide for a corner by Danny Shittu.
From the resulting corner Alexandre Song headed against the post, as Arsenal continued to press for the equaliser.
Soon after, they finally got their reward, levelling the game through an unlikely source.
That source was Eboue, who latched onto Bendtner's dinked through ball and fired past Jussi Jaaskelainen from close range.
It was Eboue's first goal in the Premier League and just 90 seconds later Arsenal were in front.
This time it was Bendtner's turn to get on the scoresheet.
The Dane tapped home from close range following Denilson's fine cross from the left.
Arsenal continued to punish Bolton on the counter-attack and again went close through Eboue.
With time running out in the half, Bolton pressed for an equaliser and Almunia pulled off a wonderful fingertip save to deny Nolan.
Nolan again went close with a volley that sailed just past the post with Arsenal living dangerously against the hosts.
But on the stroke of half-time Gary Megson's side could have been reduced to 10 men with Davies guilty of an awful two-footed challenge on Arsenal defender Gael Clichy.
Although he appeared to win some of the ball, he more than left his mark on Clichy, who played no further part in proceedings, while Davies escaped with a yellow-card.
It was an unfortunate way to end what had been a brilliant half of football.
Song tested Jaaskelainen soon after the break with a fierce drive from the edge of the box as Arsenal looked to kill the game off.
Bolton sent on Mustapha Riga on the hour in an attempt to liven up their attacking options.
And the young Dutch winger soon tested Almunia with a fine 20-yard curling strike that the Arsenal keeper tipped round the post.
As the game wore on, Arsenal defended deeper and deeper with Bolton desperately searching for an equaliser.
But for all their endeavour they struggled to break down a resilient and well organised Arsenal defence.
Set pieces remained Bolton's beat attacking threat and Gretar Steinsson should have done better with a free header from Ricardo Gardner's corner.
As time ran out Bolton threw more men forward and were predictably caught on the break by Arsenal.
Second-half substitute Walcott did the damage before releasing Adebayor out wide who sent in a teasing cross that Denilson tapped home to seal the points.
Walcott had a late chance for 4-1 but his curling shot was tipped round the post by Jaaskelainen.
It sent Arsenal top, with Chelsea playing Manchester United on Sunday and Liverpool dropping points at home to Stoke on Saturday.
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas 7.59 (on 90 minutes).
• Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.
(BBC)
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