Arsenal are back in the title race and have 'nerve' to win it... but Leicester are now favourites, admits Wenger

Arsene Wenger has no doubt that his team have the 'quality' and 'nerve' to go the distance in this title race after stopping their form rot in Bournemouth.

Arsenal won for the first time in five Premier League games to set the scene for a crucial fixture against leaders Leicester, at the Emirates Stadium, on Sunday.

'We have been in the title race and we are still in it,' said Wenger. 'I agree Leicester now is the favourite. In one week they have beaten Liverpool and Manchester City.

'That makes our game on Sunday a very big one. We just have to control our performances and show that we believe, and that we have the level to do it. 

There's still a long way to go.

'We have a big game at home and we have enough quality and nerve to deal with that.'

Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were on target as Arsenal scored twice in two first-half minutes to clinch a 2-0 win at Bournemouth.

'It was an important result for two reasons,' said Wenger. 'One, we haven't won for a while. When you play at the top, four games without a win is a long period and confidence drops. And Leicester is running away. We had to win. We won.'

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe thought the outcome might have been different if Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini had been sent off for a two-footed tackle on Dan Gosling in the eighth minute, when it was 0-0.

'I felt it was a red card,' said Howe. 'I had a very good view and I felt it was two-footed. That type of tackle has been outlawed, you can't do it.

'For me it was a pretty simple decision. It was a straight red card and it would have had a huge bearing on the game. I was surprised when the ref only produced the yellow.

'Dan could have been seriously injured on another occasion. That's why it should have been a straight red. It didn't look like he was in control.'

Flamini, who was shown a yellow card, said he was 'focused on the ball' and 'took the ball'.

 Gosling was unhurt, but it was the kind of tackle that would normally incense Wenger were it committed on one of his players.