Arsenal continued their Premier League resurgence with a ruthless victory over strugglers West Brom at The Hawthorns.
Defender Kieran Tierney’s excellent solo run and curling finish put the Gunners in front in the first half, before the impressive Bukayo Saka rounded off a stunning passing move to make it 2-0.
Alexandre Lacazette added the third and fourth goals after the break – smashing in a rebound from Emile Smith Rowe’s shot before he was set up by Tierney.
It was Arsenal’s third league victory in a row after they had failed to win their previous seven.
West Brom, playing their fourth match under new manager Sam Allardyce, remain second from bottom and six points from safety.
Purring Arsenal show desired confidence
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said he wanted his players to “show confidence” at The Hawthorns, and they certainly did that in a dominant and eye-catching display.
Hector Bellerin forced Sam Johnstone into a save within two minutes after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang broke down the left, and Saka tormented full-back Dara O’Shea on the opposite wing constantly during the opening half.
It was Saka’s ball that fizzed past the back post, inches away from the toe of Aubameyang, after the 19-year-old had got the better of O’Shea and hit it straight at Johnstone.
West Brom were being suffocated and Tierney’s burst of pace to get around Darnell Furlong, before bending it into the far corner, was the perfect way to open the scoring.
Saka made it 2-0 by rounding off a slick, one-touch passing move that former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger would have been proud of.
West Brom could offer no response after the break either and Arsenal were 3-0 up on the hour when Lacazette eventually blasted in the rebound from a catalogue of errors by defender Semi Ajayi.
That was game over but Lacazette was allowed to add a fourth when he was left unmarked to divert Tierney’s cross into the roof of the net four minutes later.
Arteta, knowing the job was done, was able to bring off Saka and Emile Smith Rowe following impressive performances from both youngsters, while Arsenal continued to create chances to round off a very enjoyable evening in the snow.
More to follow.
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West Bromwich Albion
Squad number1Player nameJohnstone
Squad number2Player nameFurlong
Squad number6Player nameAjayi
Squad number20Player nameIvanovic
Squad number27Player nameO’Shea
Squad number10Player namePhillips
Squad number19Player nameSawyers
Squad number18Player nameGallagher
Squad number11Player nameDiangana
Squad number12Player nameMatheus Pereira
Squad number7Player nameRobinson
Squad number5Player nameBartley
Squad number15Player nameAustin
Squad number16Player nameHarper
Arsenal
- Squad number12Player nameWillian
- Squad number15Player nameMaitland-Niles
- Squad number28Player nameWillock
Line-ups
West Brom
- 1Johnstone
- 2Furlong
- 6Ajayi
- 20IvanovicSubstituted forBartleyat 66′minutes
- 27O’Shea
- 10PhillipsSubstituted forHarperat 81′minutes
- 19Sawyers
- 18GallagherBooked at 70mins
- 11DianganaSubstituted forAustinat 45′minutes
- 12Costa Pereira
- 7Robinson
Substitutes
- 3Gibbs
- 5Bartley
- 13Grosicki
- 15Austin
- 16Harper
- 17Krovinovic
- 22Peltier
- 25Button
- 58Diaby
Arsenal
- 1Leno
- 2BellerínBooked at 41minsSubstituted forMaitland-Nilesat 54′minutes
- 16Holding
- 22Marí
- 3Tierney
- 8CeballosBooked at 87mins
- 34Xhaka
- 7SakaSubstituted forWillianat 71′minutes
- 32Smith RoweSubstituted forWillockat 77′minutes
- 14Aubameyang
- 9Lacazette
Substitutes
- 12Willian
- 13Rúnarsson
- 15Maitland-Niles
- 19Pépé
- 23David Luiz
- 25Elneny
- 28Willock
- 30Nketiah
- 35Martinelli
Live Text
Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 0, Arsenal 4.
Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 0, Arsenal 4.
Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Charlie Austin tries a through ball, but Kyle Bartley is caught offside.
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Bernd Leno.
Attempt saved. Rekeem Harper (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Matheus Pereira.
Attempt saved. Willian (Arsenal) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Dani Ceballos.
Attempt missed. Joseph Willock (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Willian with a cross.
Attempt saved. Conor Gallagher (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Callum Robinson.
Attempt blocked. Charlie Austin (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dara O’Shea.
Dani Ceballos (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Dani Ceballos (Arsenal).
Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joseph Willock (Arsenal).
Callum Robinson (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Darnell Furlong.
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Rekeem Harper replaces Matt Phillips.
Attempt saved. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kieran Tierney.
Attempt missed. Charlie Austin (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Matt Phillips.
Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Romaine Sawyers (West Bromwich Albion).
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