Lacazette at the double to lift Gunners
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 last night. 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. Mohamed Elneny was brought down by Jonny Evans to win the 20thminute free-kick that produced their opening goal. 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 were unfortunate not to level in the 38th minute when Jay Rodriguez headed past Cech but could only watch as the recovering Nacho Monreal cleared off the goal-line. The £52million Lacazette 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 Aarn 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.