{"id":18883,"date":"2021-01-02T17:32:54","date_gmt":"2021-01-02T21:32:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=18883"},"modified":"2021-01-03T10:35:10","modified_gmt":"2021-01-03T14:35:10","slug":"the-gunners-shoot-down-west-brom-at-the-hawthorns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=18883","title":{"rendered":"The Gunners Shoot Down West Brom At The Hawthorns"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Arsenal’s fourth goal of the evening is scored by Alexandre Lacazette, who converted Kieran Tierney’s cross into the roof of the net<\/figcaption><\/figure>Resurgent Arsenal continued to resurrect their season after thumping West Brom 4-0 to pile more misery on the Baggies.<\/p>\n

Alexandre Lacazette\u2019s second-half brace added to excellent strikes from Kieran Tierney and Bukayo Saka.<\/p>\n

The Gunners overwhelmed Albion to record three successive Premier League victories for just the second time under Mikel Arteta.<\/p>\n

Albion remain second bottom, with just one win, and have now conceded 12 goals in Sam Allardyce\u2019s three home games.<\/p>\n

They caught the Gunners on one of their best nights of the season, though, with Arteta\u2019s side breathing life into a campaign which was going off the rails just a few games ago.<\/p>\n

Arsenal only climbed to 11th but they are at least within striking distance of the top six, sitting three points behind Chelsea having played a game more.<\/p>\n

Baggies boss Allardyce had said the Gunners were in the relegation battle with them before Arsenal beat Chelsea and Brighton over the festive period.<\/p>\n

Albion came into the game after Tuesday\u2019s 5-0 hammering by Leeds and, on Saturday\u2019s evidence, there is only one team heading for the drop.<\/p>\n

No team with eight points or fewer from their opening 17 games has avoided relegation from the Premier League and Albion were outclassed.<\/p>\n

Hector Bellerin and Saka tested Sam Johnstone inside the opening 10 minutes to set the tone for a dominant first half.<\/p>\n

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also almost marked his 100th Premier League appearance with a goal but just failed to turn Saka\u2019s teasing low cross in at the far post.<\/p>\n

Albion\u2019s only chance came when Matt Phillips\u2019 fired straight at Bernd Leno after Matheus Pereira\u2019s cute pass.<\/p>\n

But Arsenal grabbed the lead and total control after 23 minutes when Tierney proved why, when fit, he is such an asset.<\/p>\n

The full-back twice beat Darnell Furlong to embarrass the defender on the left and cut inside before firing high past Johnstone from 15 yards.<\/p>\n

Five minutes later it was 2-0 when the Gunners tore their hosts to ribbons with an incisive move.<\/p>\n

Emile Smith Rowe swapped passes with Saka and Lacazette before being slipped through by the Frenchman to cross for Saka, who had continued his run unmarked, to tap in.<\/p>\n

Just like Leeds, the Gunners threatened to run riot at the Hawthorns and Johnstone needed to turn Lacazette\u2019s cross over after it hit Grady Diangana.<\/p>\n

Albion were, again, out of their depth and Johnstone denied Lacazette two minutes before the break after the striker outmuscled Branislav Ivanovic.<\/p>\n

The hosts needed a response and Callum Robinson fired in after Pereira hit the post after the restart only for the offside flag to halt their celebrations.<\/p>\n

But Arsenal wrapped up the points with two more quickfire goals from Lacazette.<\/p>\n

Saka again caused chaos for the first when his 61st-minute cross was turned onto his own post by Semi Ajayi, who then blocked Smith Rowe\u2019s follow-up strike, but Lacazette gobbled up the rebound.<\/p>\n

The second, after 64 minutes, was equally as simple as the striker converted Tierney\u2019s cross from close range.<\/p>\n

Johnstone stopped Aubameyang adding a fifth late on and saved from Willian before Leno denied Rekeem Harper a stoppage-time consolation.<\/p>\n

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