Arsenal have defeated Burnley 1-0 at Turf Moor to move up to fourth place in the Premier League, courtesy of a last-gasp Alexis Sanchez penalty.

The Gunners headed to Lancashire knowing that three points would be enough to capitalise on some favourable results yesterday and lift them into a Champions League spot.

For so long it looked like being a goalless draw in a match of few clear-cut chances - the best of which fell Burnley's way - but James Tarkowski's shove on Aaron Ramsey in added time allowed Sanchez to convert from 12 yards.

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Burnley looked the better side in the first half, coming closest to making a breakthrough when Johann Berg Gudmundsson got the better of Hector Bellerin and sent a powerful shot back off the post.

Petr Cech got a touch to the ball on its way through, and he was also required to keep out a back-post header and a Robbie Brady free kick from 30 yards.

The closest Arsenal came to breaching Nick Pope's goal in the opening 45 minutes arrived midway through, with Ramsey arriving late in the box to guide Alexandre Lacazette's cross wide of the target.

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Nacho Monreal sent a shot wide from further back, meanwhile, but the Gunners - minus illness victim Mesut Ozil today - appeared to be lacking in ideas.

Arsenal saw far more of the ball in advanced positions in the second period, though, with Ben Mee twice having to put his body on the line to thwart the visitors.

Pope was called into action for the first time shortly before the hour to keep out Lacazette's tame attempt, while Ramsey prodded wide from a tight angle against a side boasting the third-best defensive record in the division.

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With 22 minutes of the match left to play, Arsene Wenger turned to Jack Wilshere to provide some midfield spark in front of watching England manager Gareth Southgate.

Arsenal felt that they should have had a penalty when Bellerin was taken down by Brady inside the box, with referee Lee Mason instead waving play to continue, soon after Gudmundsson's powerful on-target drive was gathered by Cech.

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The Gunners required late goals in both league fixtures against Burnley last term and were pressing hard for one here, seeing Wilshere's strike deflect wide and another from Ramsey sail over.

Just when it looked as though both teams would be denied a place in the top four, Tarkowski's needless push on Ramsey gifted Sanchez the chance to snatch all three points, which he made the most of by tucking the penalty out of Pope's reach.

Burnley (4-5-1): Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward; Gudmundsson, Cork, Hendrick, Defour (Wood 78'), Brady; Barnes

Arsenal (3-4-2-1): Cech; Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Iwobi (Wilshere 67'), Sanchez; Lacazette (Welbeck 78')