Premier League: Arsenal 2 West Brom 0

8 December 2012 18:10

Arsenal ended a run of four games without a win by beating West Brom 2-0 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

It was a tale of two controversial penalties in north London, with both dispatched in similar fashion by Mikel Arteta. In the first instance, Mike Jones pointed to the spot after 25 minutes when Santi Cazorla cut inside Steven Reid and threw himself to the floor, although replays showed no contact was made.

The second penalty was correctly awarded just after the hour mark for a foul on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain by Chris Brunt, but West Brom will again feel aggrieved as it appeared the Gunners' winger pushed Goran Popov to the ground just moments before the decision.

The opening exchanges were hotly contested, with both sides keen to avoid going behind early on. But it was Arsenal who went the closest to taking the lead as Gervinho spurned an early opportunity 18 yards from goal, and Cazorla fired wide from just outside the penalty area.

Cazorla then went close again, as Oxlade-Chamberlain raced down the right before hooking a cross deep into the box. The ball sat up nicely for the Spaniard to volley towards goal, but Steven Reid pressured him into smashing his shot over the bar.

The visitors then had a chance of their own, as Brunt attempted the audacious. The winger attempted to curl a first time shot into Wojciech Szczesny’s top corner, but was unlucky to narrowly miss the target.

The deadlock was eventually broken courtesy of an Arteta penalty. Cazorla cut into the box from the left, before dipping inside Reid and going down theatrically. Replays showed there was no contact from the right-back, but referee Jones pointed to the spot and Arteta rifled the ball past Boaz Myhill.

The Gunners were inches away from doubling their lead as Gervinho embarked upon a mazy run into the area before drilling the ball across the six-yard box. Jack Wilshere slid in an attempt to make contact, but in spite of an open net gaping in front of him the 20-year-old could only manage to poke the ball wide and the score remained 1-0 at the interval.

The hosts started the second half the better side, keeping relentless pressure on the West Brom goal. Oxlade-Chamberlain was unlucky not to score with a chance from a narrow angle, while Gervinho passed up a glorious opportunity with an air shot from six yards out.

Arsenal then made it two, as the referee awarded a second penalty for a clear foul by Brunt on Oxlade-Chamberlain. However, the decision was not without controversy, as the Gunners’ winger appeared to infringe against Popov in the play leading up to the foul.

Arteta stepped up once again and smashed the ball straight down the middle to seal Arsenal's first win in the Premier League since their 5-2 triumph over Spurs on November 17.