West Brom 1-1 Arsenal RESULT: Relive all the action from The Hawthorns

Some strong words there! An explosive end to 2017 after a largely forgettable 85 minutes at The Hawthorns.

Thank you for sticking with it, I believe it was worth it for that pay-off at the end.

We will be back next year - have a lovely new year and join us in 2018! Bye for now.

Petr Cech

'First I got a yellow card for saying this is not a penalty.

'Every time we meet with refs prior to season and it comes to the point about when the player is close to the ball and has no chance to react it is never a penalty

'I asked the referee why he changes this decision

'I was not rude, I just asked the question and it disappoints me even more that he said nothing when I asked him

'I’m disappointed by the penalty situation and I expect when I walk to the ref with respect and ask a question I would like if he answers in a normal way, not give me a yellow card and say nothing.’

Arsene Wenger

Big moment? 'Yes. I think many years ago Mike Dean and myself fought hard for referees to become professional and they do a good job but don’t work enough.

'But we have a very difficult schedule and I believe we fought hard to win the game but didn’t because of a bad decision.

'He (Dean) didn’t see it. There was a player in front of him.

'That’s why I questioned his decision, he didn’t see it.

'I felt we have a very tight schedule to prepare for this game. The Premier League has to look at the schedule. You have to look to see if you have the same amount of recovery days as the opposition. Come back to me when that happens.'

IAN LADYMAN: When Arsene Wenger does eventually turn his back on Arsenal, he will surely not miss afternoons like this. Over the second half of his long tenure in north London, there have been far too many days when his team have failed him when it matters most.

This had been a hard, honest afternoon for Arsenal in the Black Country. With Christmas tiredness in their legs, Wenger’s players had run hard in the rain on the soft ground to final edge past opposition ambitious and energised under new manager Alan Pardew.

With just seven minutes left, Arsenal finally scored. It was debatable whether or not they deserved the lead but they took it anyway.

Alexis Sanchez – largely peripheral until Arsenal came strong in the last quarter – drove a low free-kick at an encroaching West Brom wall and the ball ricocheted past Ben Foster off the back of James McClean, who had turned away as he jumped.

The celebrations were enthusiastic and prolonged. Unlike at Crystal Palace recently, all the Arsenal players joined in. It felt like a big moment for a side chasing the top four and preparing for a home game with Chelsea on Wednesday.

But there are certain things about Arsenal that do not change, no matter who is in the team. One of them is the sheer painful fact that Wenger just can’t rely on them.

Here, Arsenal were maybe slightly unlucky. The handball given against Callum Chambers was a borderline call. But  as Wenger raged on the touchline, Mike Dean probably got the decision right. And when Jay Rodriguez converted the first penalty West Brom had been given in 53 games Arsenal’s chance of a vital victory had gone.  

Probably, but Arsenal fans are already furious with Mike Dean's decision to award West Brom that late penalty. It was a poor game with little quality and Arsene Wenger will feel his team did enough to win and had forced it late on through Sanchez's free-kick - which has gone down as an own goal.

West Brom are off the bottom, Swansea back to the basement. They face West Ham on Tuesday, two points behind them in the table.

Arsenal are up to fifth but miss the chance to keep pace with four-placed Liverpool. Their clash with Chelsea on Wednesday really has really become a must-win now.

90+3: Sanchez is trying to do it all on his own and fires an effort wide from 30 yards. This is heading to a draw.

Big barney going on beteen Mike Dean and Arsene Wenger on the touchline. He is not happy with the awarding of that spot-kick, and I can feel some sympathy for him.

Meawhile Arsenal's opening goal has gone down as a James McClean own goal.

Down the middle, West Brom are level!

Kieran Gibbs fires the ball into Calum Chambers' midriff - his hands are in the way - it's not deliberate, but it's a penalty!

And it's in! The free-kcik is low, it hits James McClean in the wall as he turns his back and deflects beyond Ben Foster and into the back of the net.

That will probably go down as an own goal, it was going wide. And if McClean hadn't turned his back on it, he blocks it!

82 mins: Sanchez shapes to shoot and is brought down outside the area. Free-kick for the Gunners...

78 mins: A shot for West Brom! Jay Rodriguez powers an effort down the centre of goal but it's punched away by Cech.

Now they have a free-kick as Lacazette brings down Barry. It comes to nothing.

LAURIE WHITWELL: Alexis Sanchez seemed to pointedly give applause to Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin earlier on, when each tried to find him with a long pass but failed miserably.

Amid all the talk of a divided dressing room, and given neither player was deserving of acclaim, it seemed a deliberate public show. But the Chilean’s short fuse has come to the surface in these latter stages, with Bellerin and Alex Iwobi recipients of fixed looks and angry arm waving.

72 mins: Arsenal dominating possession and territory here, they've kept the ball in play for a good while. Eventually it's worked into the box, Lacazette lays it off for Sanchez but his effort is blocked.

63 mins: Another chance for Lacazette - Sanchez arrows a ball into the area, the Frenchman looks to run across Jonny Evans and either poke it beyond the goalkeeper or take it on himself. He gets a feather of a touch on it, but it rolls wide of the near post.

This has been better the last few minutes.

60 mins: Ben Foster called into action finally. He gets down well to save from Lacazette who fired in a low effort with his left boot after exchanging passes with Iwobi on the edge of the area.

LAURIE WHITWELL: Jack Wilshere is having another fine game for Arsenal, constantly seeking possession and then trying bold things with it in attack. You suspect he will be at the heart of whatever Arsene Wenger’s manage to summon here.

West Brom are maintaining their good tempo from the first half, but just missing a centre-forward of real substance to finish moves off. Salomon Rondon, however poor his form this season, is missed as the physical focal point. 

59 mins: Arsenal head away the resulting free-kick. West Brom's delivery has been really poor today. Another booking, Brunt with a little flick at Wilshere.

58 mins: Robson-Kanu brought down by Mustafi as he attempted to find a ball into the box. Bit of a late lunge, deservedly booked.

55 mins: It's been a very scrappy opening to the second-half at the Hawthorns. Feels similar to the first-half. Is 2017 to end with three successive Premier League draws?

As you were.

50 mins: Alexandre Lacazette has won a free-kick. Dawson does bring him down but it looked soft on first viewing.

It's in a central position, 20 yards out. Sanchez over it.

Arsenal have been very predictable. Plenty of the ball in the middle third, pretty passing patterns but just no imagination in the final third.

Are they missing Mesut Ozil?

41 mins: Matt Phillips with a ball across the six-yard box but he can't quite get it right and Petr Cech easily collectts. There's not a lot going on, I'll be honest.

Mustafi fouls Robson-Kanu and West Brom ahve a free-kick, they take it short. Worked wide, into the box, Gibbs drives at goal, blocked and out for a throw.

And the left-back has indeed been forced off, and he limps towards the tunnel.

Looks like Arsenal will be forced into an early change with Kolasinac dow on the floor after a collision with Gary Barry.

LAURIE WHITWELL: Alan Pardew said West Brom had worked hard on set pieces ahead of this game so Chris Brunt skying that free-kick will be particularly galling.

The home side were better at a corner earlier on, taking it short, catching Arsenal out, and feeding Matt Phillips, whose shot was deflected wide.

29 mins: Arsenal looking to break when they get the chance. West Brom doing all they can to get it wide and whip balls into the box. Pretty agricultural stuff from a side low on confidence.

Granit Xhaka fizzes a shot at goal from 25 yards but it's low and easily gathered by Ben Foster.

IAN LADYMAN: West Brom are relying quite heavily on Matt Phillips down their right hand side. Alan Pardew clearly thinks he can get at Arsenal left-back Sead Kolasinic, who is not the quickest.

Phillips has found a yard on his man twice in the last ten minutes and while one cross was wildly over-hit the next required a diving headed clearance as Jay Rodriguez lurked. We can expect more of this I think.

IAN LADYMAN: Lively start here in the rain. West Brom have threatened aerially on three occasions already and that would appear to be a definite plan of attack for Alan Pardew’s team.

The home side are without Salomon Rondon so may lack of a bit of presence up front. Arsenal, for their part, have threatened once through the lively looking Lacazette. I think he always carries a threat when he plays and already he has seen one shot deflected wide for a corner.

As I write this, Iwobi curls a shot inches over from the edge of the box. Too much space…

16 mins: The visitors work some space on the edge of the area. Sanchez finds Iwobi, who takes a touch, tries to pick his spot but just leans back a tad and pokes the ball over the bar.

14 mins: It's been a pretty quiet start at the Hawthorns. A couple of scraps inside both six-yard boxes but overall not a lot to shout about. West Brom can be pretty content, they've kept Arsenal at arm's length so far.

9 mins: Arsenal counter well, quick move involving Xhaka and Lacazette. The Frenchman's path is blocked, receives another pass from Bellerin but this time his effort is deflected behind. Corner comes to nothing.

7 mins: Good move from West Brom, cross from Phillips down the right-hand side, stands up well. Jay Rodriguez gets his head to the ball but his effort is saved by Cech.

LAURIE WHITWELL: Nice touch by West Brom before kick-off in tribute to Richard Eades, a Baggie Bird mascot who died following a heart attack on the morning of the club’s Boxing Day game against Everton. There was a moment’s applause for the 42-year-old, and each of the mascots from Aston Villa, Wolves, Birmingham and Walsall turned up to show their support.

Arsenal look like they're in onesies, or a set of festive Christmas pyjamas. They're wearing red shorts and socks as their usual white ones clash with West Brom's.

Martin Tyler reliably informs us it's the first time they've done so since 1978... quite some time ago!

It is teeming down with rain in the midlands. Both players are out on the pitch, and Mike Dean is your man with the whistle. Expect fireworks.

We're going to see another round of Arsene Wenger against Alan Pardew today. The pair have history, dating back over 10 years to when the latter was in charge of West Ham.

It's been a bit more restrained over recent years, but it doesn't take much to get the Baggies boss riled. Stay tuned...

West Brom slipped to the bottom of the table yesterday after Swansea came from behind to win at Watford. Without a win since August, Alan Pardew will be desperate to get his first win in charge at the Hawthorns.

If Arsenal can win they will overtake Tottenham and climb to fifth in the table. Plenty to play for.

We're about 20 minutes away from kick-off at the Hawthorns now.

Arsene Wenger is set to overtake Sir Alex Ferguson's record of 810 Premier League games in charge. Quite the achievement for the Frenchman. Though he still has some way to go to reach the Scot's figure of 1,500 games in charge at Old Trafford.

This will be his 1,206th in the Arsenal dugout.

No Mesut Ozil for Arsenal this afternoon - Alex Iwobi takes his place in the starting lineup.

Team news will be with you very shortly at 3.30, stay tuned!

Alexis Sanchez is in town, and looks to be hanging back on his own in this picture.

It comes after the revelations from Sportsmail's Sami Mokbel this week, that the Chilean's popularity has plummeted in recent weeks around the club.

As he writes here:

Alexis Sanchez's face was a picture as several of his team-mates declined to join him in celebrating Arsenal's second goal on Thursday night. In truth, he shouldn't have been so surprised.

If he didn't know about their feelings towards him before, he would have got the gist during a dressing-room inquest after Arsenal scraped a 1-1 draw at Southampton earlier this month.

Sanchez wasn't at his best at St Mary's — a common theme so far this season. After the final whistle, a group of players made their feelings clear. 

During the game Jack Wilshere, who came through Arsenal's academy, is said to have confronted Sanchez about his wastefulness in possession.

Sanchez's popularity at Arsenal's London Colney HQ has plummeted in recent months, and some members of the Arsenal squad — and even backroom staff — have had enough of the Chilean.

There are some who want him out next month, others who wish he had been sold last summer.

Hello and welcome to LIVE coverage of the final Premier League game of 2017 - West Brom against Arsenal.

Kick-off is in an hour-and-a-half.