Arsenal player ratings vs West Brom: Smith Rowe, Pepe & Willian strike

Arsenal beat West Brom 3-1 in the Premier League on Sunday as goals from Emile Smith Rowe, Nicolas Pepe and Willian helped Mikel Arteta’s side cruise to three points, and relegate the Baggies in the process.

Mikel Arteta opted to make six changes to his side from the one that woefully bowed out of the Europa League on Thursday, with Gabriel Martinelli coming in at centre-forward in the most noteworthy alteration.

It was the visitors who started brightest, with Matheus Pereira flashing to stinging drives just past the post as Arsenal began in sluggish fashion. Isolating the Brazilian on the left flank, the Gunners couldn’t get any control.

When they did, it was excruciatingly slow again. No speed in anything, Dani Ceballos holding onto the ball too long, if anything was going to come off for Arsenal it would be through Bukayo Saka or Emile Smith Rowe. And it was.

Arsenal player ratings vs West Brom: Emile Smith Rowe scores first Premier League goal in 3-1 win

Saka found Smith Rowe after some neat play on the left, setting up the 20-year-old to hit a well-taken volley for his first Premier League goal. The goal lifted Arsenal from their slump, and then Pepe nearly lifted the roof off with a stunning hit from distance.

It was all Arsenal in the second half with West Brom truly giving in in their faint hopes of survival.

Smith Rowe and Alexandre Lacazette came closest to adding to the scoreline, but then Matheus Pereira carried the ball nearly half the pitch and smashed one if off the post unchallenged.

Arsenal lost any rhythm at that point and the Baggies were the ones more likely to snatch a fourth goal. Another exceedingly unappealing match came and went with Arsenal not setting the world alight, until Willian scored the single greatest goal in football history. In all seriousness, though, it was a wonderful free-kick.

Arsenal Goalkeeper & Defenders Ratings

Bernd Leno (GK) – 6/10 – Made a couple of clever takes from crosses, but was never truly tested with West Brom’s early efforts flying inches wide of the upright. Did well with balls in though, and could do nothing about the goal.

Calum Chambers (RB) – 6/10 – Given freedom to pick up places in wide areas and in midfield, where he supported the attack well. Solid outing for the defender is now a valuable member of this squad and the best right-back at the club. That doesn’t say much, granted, but he’s someone to keep round next season and not worry about too much.

Rob Holding – 6/10 – Cleared whatever came into the box well as he always does with his head, which he’s much better with than his feet, although the opening stages of the game didn’t cover him in great light.

Neither for the third goal on the night, where he and the rest of the defence continued backing off so much they may as well have been sat in the North Bank.

Gabriel (CB) – 6/10 – It was a solid outing for Gabriel who should be playing every game between now and the end of the season – all three of them. He was untroubled and calm up until the West Brom goal, where a dreadful piece of defending granted Matheus Pereira all the time to pick his spot, which he did superbly.

Bukayo Saka  (LB) – 8/10 – Bukayo Saka doing a wonderful job at left-back? How revolutionary. It almost feels like it could have worked at other points this season when Arsenal were in need of someone to fill in for that position? The caveat is, of course, that it’s West Brom, but with sample size behind it, why not use what you know?

In terms of Sunday, he was excellent again. Magnificent.