The Gunners missed a clutch of chances but still appeared primed for a comfortable victory after second-half strikes from Gilberto and Julio Baptista, before Cesc Fabregas's own goal set up a frantic finale.

The Royals failed to capitalise on their hosts' profligacy, but PSV Eindhoven are unlikely to be as generous in Wednesday's Champions League second round, second leg clash at the Emirates stadium.

Arsenal trail 1-0 from the first leg and Wenger is demanding a more clinical approach as he bids to avoid a second consecutive season without a trophy.

"We were shaky and the one regret is that we didn't kill the game off earlier," the Frenchman said.

"It's important that we are relaxed against PSV and take our chances. We have to believe in what we do and play the football we can play. Hopefully that will be enough.

"They will be cautious, wait for us in their own half and hope that we become impatient. We have to be dynamic and patient at the same time and that is not very easy but I believe that we can do it.

"In Champions League games, I think players have that little bit extra focus and concentration which makes them a bit more efficient in the final third. I am confident we will have that against PSV."

Victory ensured that a dreadful week for Arsenal at least had a happy ending. The north Londoners had endured three successive defeats - their worst run for four-and-a-half years - and been knocked out of two different competitions in the space of seven days, as well as enduring a host of negative headlines thanks to Wenger's highly vocal criticisms of the English Football Association.

But this win tightens the club's stranglehold on fourth place and slashed the gap to third-placed Liverpool as the race to secure qualification for next season's Champions League intensifies.

"After the week we had, it was very important for us to get the win,"," Wenger added. "A bad result for us today would have pushed us into a bit of a crisis, confidence-wise, but three points gets us into a good position in terms of qualifying for the Champions League and takes off some of the pressure."

Victory against Reading was well merited, even if it was only secured by a hair's breadth. Gilberto shot Arsenal in front from the penalty spot in the 50th minute after Gael Clichy had been hauled down by Andre Bikey, and 11 minutes later Baptista added a second after barging past Graeme Murty.

Arsenal should have built on that lead but Reading sparked into life after falling behind, and after Steve Sidwell missed two good chances, Fabregas diverted an inswinging corner into his own net when he was placed under pressure from Leroy Lita.

The visitors piled on the pressure in the dying moments and Sidwell saw one fierce near-post drive well saved by Jens Lehmann but Reading ran out of time in their attempt to avoid a third straight defeat.

"We could have got something, although it wouldn't have been in the manner that we had imagined," manager Steve Coppell admitted.

"But given the opportunities and Lehmann's terrific save right at the death, we could have got a point.

"We're new kids on the block in this league and they are European Cup finalists so it's not a level playing field. They are bigger and better than us and we can only aspire to be competitive. We still have a long way to go."