EPL: Arsenal 2-0 West Brom
Alexandre Lacazette hits brace to seal Gunners victory
Alexandre Lacazette scored a brace as Arsenal defeated West Brom 2-0 in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners went into the Monday night game looking to make it five wins from five on home soil in all competitions this season and close the gap on their rivals in the top-four places. And, having survived several scares in the opening half, they went in at the break leading courtesy of a Lacazette goal on 20 minutes.
The second half was more comfortable for the hosts and Lacazette’s second from the penalty spot with just over 20 minutes remaining sealed the three points.
The win moves Arsenal up to seventh – a point behind north London rivals Tottenham in fourth – while West Brom drop to 12th.
Alexis Sanchez went close to giving Arsenal the lead in the fifth minute when he curled a right-foot free kick from the left edge of the area inches past the far post with Ben Foster rooted to the spot.
West Brom responded and should have been awarded a penalty on eight minutes when Jay Rodriguez was clearly brought down by Shkodran Mustafi down the left side of the area.
Rodriguez, who in hindsight should have stayed grounded to boost his chances of winning the spot-kick, quickly got to his feet and saw his follow-up low strike tipped onto the far post by Petr Cech before Jake Livermore fired the rebound wide.
Aaron Ramsey went close to scoring his first-ever goal against the Baggies but guided his header just over the top from a Hector Bellerin cross on 11 minutes.
The Gunners took the lead in the 20th minute after Jonny Evans brought down Mohamed Elneny just outside the area.
And, while Foster produced a fine one-handed save to prevent Sanchez’s subsequent free-kick from finding the top corner, the ball dropped kindly to Lacazette who had the simple task of heading into the net from close range.
Sanchez had Foster scrambling across his area again on 36 minutes when he curled another free-kick from 25 yards just wide of the upright after Evans was again guilty of giving a way a set-piece for a foul on Lacazette. Rodriguez thought he had put the Baggies on level terms on 38 minutes when he met a Grzegorz Krychowiak cross from the left towards the back post and headed it down past the advancing Cech, only for Nacho Monreal to brilliantly hook the ball off his own goalline.
Arsenal started the second half brightly with Lacazette getting a sight of goal in the middle of the West Brom area on 51 minutes, but former Gunners man Kieran Gibbs did well to deflect his effort over the top.
Two minutes later Mustafi met a cross from the left at the near post and his cheeky flick forced a reaction save from Foster.
Arsenal won a penalty on 66 minutes when Nyom barged over Ramsey down the left side of the area and Lacazette stepped up to side-foot his spot-kick beyond the outstretched hand of Foster a minute later.
Lacazette went close to grabbing his hat-trick on 70 minutes when he did well to bring down a long ball into the area and got beyond Foster, but then blazed his effort over the top from a tight angle. Ramsey almost put the icing on the cake with a third in the 90th minute but Foster’s outstretched foot denied him.