West Bromwich Albion

We continue our run of games in which we've scored as we show (for some parts of the game), why we're champions. This game took place at Highbury, on Tuesday 27th August at 8pm. Attendance was 37,920.

Final result was 5-2. Arsenal's goalscorers were Cole (3'), Lauren (21'), Wiltord (24' & 77') & Aliadiere (90').

Reports: "(Arsenal.com): It was the original seven-goal thriller at Highbury on Tuesday night. All seemed fine when Arsenal cruised into a 3-0 half time lead through Ashley Cole, Lauren and Sylvain Wiltord. But a resilient West Brom outfit refused to give up and pushed us to the limit. They scored through Scott Dobie and, after Wiltord hit our second, Jason Roberts. In fact, only when substitute Jeremie Aliadiere poked home a low cross from Henry in injury time did we finally feel safe. Arsene Wenger made two changes to the side that salvaged a 2-2 draw from Upton Park on Saturday. Dennis Bergkamp had limped off at half time during that game with a calf injury. He was replaced up front by Kanu. Ray Parlour was dropped to the bench with Wiltord switching flanks to replace him on the right. Gilberto was drafted into central midfield with compatriot Edu moving out to the left side of midfield. Wiltord's late leveller at West Ham arrived with two minutes to go. Arsenal's opener against West Brom arrived with two minute played. Kanu's long pass found Cole on the edge of the area. The left back shrugged off the challenge of Darren Moore and sent a rasping drive arrowing into the top corner of the net. It was a fine way for Cole to celebrate his 50th Premiership game for Arsenal. The visitors were dazed by the early blow and it took them another 10 minutes to register their first shot - but it was a dangerous effort. Dobie wriggled clear of Cole and Martin Keown on the edge of the area and thumped a fierce drive that David Seaman was grateful to grasp. West Brom have showed in their opening two Premiership games that they prepared to roll their sleeves up and battle. They displayed those qualities yet again before being blown away by two goals in three minutes midway through the half. In the 21st minute, full back Lauren fed Kanu on the right of the area and our Nigerian striker tricked his way to byline before cutting the ball back into the six-yard box. It was collected by Lauren, who had continued his run towards goal and he fired into the top of the West Brom net with a tumbling shot on the turn. Three minutes later it was 3-0 when Gilberto stole the ball in midfield and found Henry. The Frenchman spotted Wiltord on the right and clipped an astute pass into the path of his compatriot, who stabbed the ball over the advancing West Brom keeper. We seemed content to retain what we had until half time but Wiltord twice threatened to increase our advantage. However, we had a scare in injury time when Jason Roberts had the goal at his mercy until Sol Campbell's well-timed tackle put paid to the danger. That late effort seemed to set a trend because West Brom started the second half with vigour. They reduced the arrears six minutes in when Cole miscontrolled a high punt forward and the ball fell to Scott Dobie on the edge of the area. The former Carlisle striker easily slipped the ball under Seaman's dive and into the net. The next few minutes belonged to the visitors. Roberts put Igor Balis clear on the right of our area but the full back screwed his shot wide when he should have done better. Seconds later, Derek McInnes collected a loose ball in midfield and fired in a low shot that was well held by Seaman. Kanu nearly produced a typical piece of improvisation to increase our lead in the 62nd minute. Wiltord's low cross from the right was backheeled goalward at the near post by our Nigerian striker under pressure from Moore. It appeared the ball might be trickling over the goalline before keeper Russell Hoult flicked the ball clear with his leg. But West Brom were far from beaten. If Dobie had provided a better cross-field pass when Roberts was clear in the centre on 72 minutes then we may have had a grandstand finish. However, Wiltord seemed to have settled the issue with 13 minutes left. Cole skipped past Larus Sigurdsson on the right and our French striker tucked his shot past Hoult at the second attempt. Yet West Brom refused to lie down and the lively Roberts bustled his way past Keown in the 88th minute to make it 4-2. In injury time Aliadiere settled any late nerves as a breathless Highbury faithful went home happy."

"(BBCi): Arsenal made light work of brushing West Brom aside at Highbury with the champions cruising to victory to move to the top of the Premiership. The Gunners stormed out of the blocks against a startled Baggies side who found themselves behind after just three minutes through a goal by left-back Ashley Cole. Not to be outdone, Arsenal right-back Lauren created and scored the home side's second before Sylvain Wiltord's expert chip saw the Gunners three up midway through the first half. West Brom strikers Scott Dobie and Jason Roberts scored in between Wiltord's fourth for Arsenal when the home side relaxed their grip on the game too far. Jeremie Aliadiere also came off the bench to score his first goal for the Gunners late on. West Brom will be glad to see the back of their opening three Premiership games which have brought defeats against Manchester United, Leeds and Arsenal. Cole's goal set the tone of things to come at Highbury with the England international latching onto a long ball on the edge of the West Brom area. He skilfully evaded a lunging tackle by Darren Moore and rifled an angled shot into the far corner for the opener. Dobie had a clear shot on the Arsenal goal from 16 yards after 11 minutes, but his effort was not powerful enough to beat keeper David Seaman. Arsenal were comfortable without stretching themselves while West Brom did not have the creativity open up the home defence. Arsenal then flexed their muscles once again and it was not long before West Brom were two down. Lauren found Kanu on the right before racing to the visitors' near post and converting the low cross from the Nigerian. Wenger's players were emphasising the gap in class and quality between the Premiership champions and the newcomers to the top-flight. And the third goal must have seemed like a blur to the Baggies. Within seconds of Seaman rolling the ball out of his goal, Kanu delivered a ball into the run of the unmarked Wiltord. The Frenchman delightfully chipped oncoming keeper Russell Hoult. Roberts missed a chance for West Brom on the stroke of half-time before Dobie pulled one back for the visitors. A mistake by Cole left Dobie with a clear shot on goal and, although Seaman almost saved, the ball squirmed under his body and into the Arsenal net. West Brom made more of a fight of it after the break, albeit against an Arsenal side who had eased up to a large degree. They could have made more in-roads into the deficit but for their lack of clinical finishing. Martin Keown was also fourtunate to escape a red card for a foul on Dobie. Wiltord then scored a excellent fourth goal of the season before Roberts opened his Baggies account. But Arsenal seemed able to score at will when the motivation struck them and substitute Aliadiere's fifth for Arsenal rounded off the champions' win."