Arsenal 1-QPR 0: Robin Van Persie Winner Means Gunners End Year in Top Four

Robin van Persie scored his 37th goal of 2011 on the hour mark, to ensure that Arsenal end the year back in the Champions League places.

The Dutchman's deft finish lifted Arsenal to a win over a plucky Queens Park Rangers team and made up for the tame draw in the previous home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Unfortunately, van Persie finished two short of establishing a new Premier League record for goals in a calendar year. But van Persie once again showed that his class is the one real difference maker for this Arsenal side.

Van Persie turned home Andrey Arshavin's smart cross to put Arsenal into the lead. The Gunners battled hard but still lacked the craft and guile in forward areas to convert their lion's share of possession into more goals.

QPR's master protagonist Joey Barton riled the Emirates Stadium crowd when he somehow escaped a sending off after a cynical challenge on Mikel Arteta in the first half.

But Barton remained on the pitch and was part of a QPR team who carved out some decent chances of their own.

Thankfully, Wojciech Szczsny was at his solid best on the day. The self-assured young Pole turned away any legitimate danger from Rangers.

Chelsea's home defeat to Aston Villa means that Arsenal have moved back into the top four, two points ahead of their London rivals and Liverpool.

Getting back into the Champions League positions represents a remarkable turnaround by Arsene Wenger's team.

Following the harrowing start to the season, Wenger and the players deserve tremendous credit for adapting their style and showing the determination to haul themselves back into the top four.

It's still difficult not to feel that this Arsenal team will need an infusion of top-level quality to maintain their good run.

The revival is not yet complete, but ending the year fourth provides the club with exactly the right kind of platform to move on to bigger and better in 2012.