Alexandre Lacazette's first double in English football continued Arsenal's excellent home form as they beat West Brom 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
On an evening when Alexis Sanchez, widely expected to leave at the season's end when his contract expires, made his first league start since his attempt to join rivals Manchester City, the striker continued to justify his club-record transfer fee.
Spoiling the occasion of Gareth Barry's record 633rd Premier League appearance, his two goals also ensured a continuation of Arsenal's 100 per cent record at the Emirates so far this season and wider run of eight consecutive home league wins.
In only the fifth minute, having been brought down by Craig Dawson on the edge of the area, Sanchez bent a free-kick just wide of the right post.
The visitors swiftly responded when a classy through-ball from Barry sent Jay Rodriguez into space on the left.
The forward was unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when brought down by Shkodran Mustafi's cumbersome challenge, but after returning to his feet he forced Petr Cech into a fine save when the goalkeeper tipped his low shot onto the post.
Mohamed Elneny, starting his first Premier League fixture since the season's opening day in perhaps a demonstration of Arsene Wenger's wariness of West Brom's physical threat, then briefly took responsibility for Arsenal's creativity.
His ball wide was volleyed by Hector Bellerin towards Aaron Ramsey, who despite space at the near post could only head high and wide.
The midfielder was then brought down by Jonny Evans, among Wenger's summer transfer targets, also on the edge of the area, to win the 20th-minute free-kick that produced their opening goal. On this occasion Ben Foster tipped Sanchez's curling effort away, but with the goalkeeper on the floor, Lacazette was the quickest to respond and instinctively headed low into the near open goal.
West Brom, largely outclassed by their composed hosts, were unfortunate not to level in the 38th minute, again through Rodriguez. After Grzegorz Krychowiak broke down the left and hooked a cross towards the forward, Rodriguez succeeded in heading past Cech but could only watch as the recovering Nacho Monreal cleared off the goal-line and out for a corner.
The £52million Lacazette had had another dangerous, goal-bound shot blocked early in the second half before, in the 67th minute, the opportunity presented itself to him to seal all three points.
Allan Nyom clumsily brought down Ramsey inside the area and, with Sanchez still on the pitch, Lacazette stepped up to finish into the bottom-right corner beyond the diving Foster.
He was eventually replaced by Olivier Giroud in the 83rd minute, by which point victory appeared secure, but after Arsenal's inconsistent start to the season the striker had taken his side up to seventh, with his fourth goal in five league starts.
Defeat also meant West Brom fell to 12th, but if Tony Pulis felt frustrated, Wenger had been rewarded by the 26-year-old Lacazette vindicating the hosts' long-term pursuit.
Re-live the live action as it happened below.
West Brom player ratings
Foster 6
Move along, nothing to see here, no alarms, no issues
Nyom 6
Blotted his copybook by conceding penalty
Dawson 6
Robust and resolute in five-man back line. Booked
Hegazy 5
Took no prisoners but there were plenty of fugitives in red
Evans 6
Free-kicks he conceded around box proved costly. Booked
Gibbs 7
Coped admirably on his return to familiar setting
Krychowiak 7
Surges from midfield gave Baggies added value. Booked
Livermore 5
Quietly effective or just plain quiet? Take your pick
Barry 7
Almost decorated his record 633rd Premier League game with a goal
Rodriguez 7
Denied blatant penalty, hit the post and header cleared off line
Robson-Kanu 6
Close but no cigar as Albion’s luck deserted them
SUBS: Morrison (Livermore, 63) 5, Rondon (Robson-Kanu, 64) 5, Phillips (Nyom, 74) 6
Arsenal player ratings
ARSENAL
Cech 6
His goal led more charmed life than a snake in a basket
Koscielny 6
Didn’t enjoy the scenery when Rodriguez took him for a walk
Mustafi 6
Lucky boy: that foul on J-Rod was a clear penalty
Monreal 8
Terrific goal-line clearance denied Rodriguez certain equaliser
Bellerin 6
Eager as ever to get forward but limited impact in final third
Elneny 6
Brought a pitchfork when tweezers were needed to unpick the lock
Xhaka 5
Quiet and steady, but so is your milkman’s float
Kolasinac 7
Adds steel and substance to Gunners’ left flank
Ramsey 6
Less effective than of late until he won soft penalty
Sanchez 8 (MOM)
Back on song like jukebox with volume turned up
Lacazette 8
On target at home for third league game in a row
SUBS: Giroud (Lacazette, 83), Ozil (Sanchez, 83), Maitland-Miles (Ramsey, 90)
Neil McLeman's 5 talking points - Lacazette, Barry, Pulis, Ozil and Gibbs under the microscope
Alexandre Lacazette became the first Arsenal player to score in his first three home Premier League games as his double spoiled Gareth Barry’s record-making night.
The former England player made his 633rd Premier League appearance at the Emirates Stadium to break the record he had shared with Ryan Giggs.
West Brom’s captain for the night found Jay Rodriguez with a through ball after eight minutes only for Bobby Madley to refuse a penalty for Shkodran Mustafi’s clumsy challenge.
And Tony Pulis’ anger became worse when Madley awarded a free kick after 26 minutes for a foul by Jonny Evans on Mohamed Elneny on the edge of the box.Ben Foster tipped Alexis Sanchez’s free kick on the bar and the France striker nodded home.
Nacho Monreal cleared off the line from Jay Rodriguez and Cech saved from Barry just before the break.
But the match was settled after another contentious call from Madley after 66 minutes when he adjudged Allan Nyom to have fouled Aaron Ramsey and Lacazette slotted home the spot kick.
Read Neil McLeman’s 5 top talking points here
GOAL - 2-0: Penalty for Lacazette
Lacazette took his second with comfort from the spot after Allan Nyom used his hip too vigorously on Aaron Ramsey for Bobby Madeley, who pointed to the spot.
Not a popular decision with the visitors.
West Brom robbed of a penalty - but it was a tricky one
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has had his say on West Brom’s penalty shout - and he’s stated the obvious frankly.
“I think it should,” he said when asked on Sky Sports during the half-time break.
However, it wasn’t a cut and dry situation for Bobby Madeley.
“There’s a few issues,” he said. “I’m not sure he has seen it.”
He continues to defend the man in the middle, and gives him the benefit of the doubt that he may have been playing advantage.
“Had Cech not saved it would have been a brilliant advantage and we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” he said.
But the conclusion is simple.
“I think, stick to basics, give a penalty.”
GOAL! Lacazette scores for third Arsenal home game in a row
Alexandre Lacazette has scored incredibly for the third Arsenal home league game on the bounce, heading home the simplest of headers after Alexis Sanchez hit the crossbar with a free-kick.
That will make the turned down penalty hurt even more for West Brom.
Record-breaker Barry
Gareth Barry has broken the Premier League appearance record by starting tonight.
Barry, 36, was handed the captain’s armband on his 632nd outing in the Premier League.
His start at the Emirates sees the ex-England midfielder overtake Ryan Giggs’ long-standing record.
Poor Premier League players...
A phrase you’ll never, ever hear. But if you did hear it, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees would be in the room.
He’s at the Emirates tonight ahead of his side’s clash with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Brees’ $20 million-a-year average salary is the highest in NFL history.
Wenger speaks ahead of kick-off
We have responded well [to the Liverpool defeat] but it’s down to consistency, we have some lateness in our points, and we have to make it up, and we are always focused on getting points now.”
Gareth Barry will likely be more worried about his manager’s record at the Emirates tonight than his own appearances milestone.
This will be the 10th time that Tony Pulis has managed a team at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League – he’s lost every one of the previous nine there with a combined score of 20-3.Ouch!
Jack Wilshere was front and centre as he led his team-mates down the tunnel to the dressing room ahead of tonight’s match.
Alexis Sanchez looks in a chipper mood, flashing a peace sign of sorts as he came down the Gunners tunnel.
Arsenal and West Brom team news
Alexis Sanchez starts but Mesut Ozil doesn’t tonight.
Lacazette leads the line with Ramsey and Sanchez behind him.
Wilshere is also notably on the bench.
Barry checks out the pitch
Gareth Barry (left) speaks with team-mates ahead of tonight’s match on the turf of the Emirates.
Incredibly, the veteran Baggies player made his first appearance in the Premier League on May 2nd 1998, Arsene Wenger
was only one year and 212 days in to his tenure as Arsenal manager.
They’ll both be in front of a “sold out” stadium tonight.
Shirt stories
Former Arsenal man Kieran Gibbs’ shirt is hanging alongside Welsh striker Hal Robson-Kanu on his first return to the Emirates but tonight one man could steal the show.
Gareth Barry could become the outright leader in terms of most Premier League appearances.
He will overtake Ryan Giggs, who turned out 632 times for Manchester United.
Gunning for lucky No.7
A less than subtle stat from the Gunners’ social media arm, pointing out their run of six home wins against West Brom and that they’re fired up to go for No.7.
What they don’t mention is that West Brom won the last league clash between the pair 3-1 at the Hawthorns in March.
A boost for the hosts tonight, though, is they haven’t won successive league matches against them since March 1977.
Champions League is boring, blasts Wenger
Arsene Wenger believes that the Champions League is less interesting than it used to be.
The Arsenal manager’s comments come after his side failed to qualify for the competition for the first time in 19 years last season after finishing fifth in the Premier League.
The Gunners kicked off their Europa League campaign against Cologne earlier this month and face BATE Borisov in Belarus on Thursday evening, but Wenger believes the Champions League group stage has lost its lustre.
“I think that in the group stage, there are not many interesting games,” he said. “You watch only one or two games.
“It’s a routine now, the Champions League, in the group stage. Look at the audiences. It has lost some attraction power.”
Viewing figures for the tournament have been in decline in this country in recent seasons, although this can partly be accounted to Sky Sports losing the rights to show it.
Despite these comments, Wenger did admit he missed being in the competition.
“Honestly, yes. But I must say, I have had nearly 200 games in the Champions League, so I can feel privileged.”
Early team news
Mesut Ozil is in contention to return to the Arsenal team for Monday’s Premier League clash with West Brom.
The Germany midfielder has been struggling with a knee injury but is now back in training, while Theo Walcott should be fit despite being forced off with a knock in the midweek Carabao Cup win over Doncaster.
Danny Welbeck (groin), Francis Coquelin (hamstring) and Santi Cazorla (ankle) are missing, as is Calum Chambers who has suffered a recurrence of a recent hip problem.
West Brom midfielder Gareth Barry is expected to break the Premier League appearance record against Arsenal.
The 36-year-old, who made his professional debut for Aston Villa in 1998, will play in his 633rd top-flight game and break Ryan Giggs’ record if he features on Monday night.
Chris Brunt (calf) will be assessed along with Nacer Chadli (thigh) and Oliver Burke (hamstring) while it remains to be seen if Jake Livermore will return to the squad after being given a break by Baggies boss Tony Pulis.