Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for the final Premier League match of 2017 as struggling
West Bromwich Albion host
Arsenal at The Hawthorns.
All eyes will be on Arsene Wenger here as he takes charge of his 811th Premier League game - a record which sees him surpass long-time rival Sir Alex Ferguson - but matters on the field are even more important with West Brom facing the prospect of ending the year bottom of the table while Arsenal fell further behind the top four yesterday.
We will have a closer look at both clubs a little later, but let's start with the team news...
WEST BROM STARTING XI: Foster; Dawson, Hegazi, Evans, Gibbs; Phillips, Livermore, Barry, Brunt; Robson-Kanu, Rodriguez
WEST BROM SUBS: Myhill, Nyom, Yacob, McClean, Burke, Krychowiak, McAuley
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Cech; Chambers, Koscielny, Mustafi; Bellerin, Wilshere, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Iwobi, Lacazette, Sanchez
ARSENAL SUBS: Ospina, Mertesacker, Maitland-Niles, Coquelin, Elneny, Walcott, Welbeck
What can we make of those two teams, then?
Well, we'll have a look at the hosts in a short while, but let's start with Wenger's selection on his record-breaking day, and the headline news is that Mesut Ozil misses out entirely for the visitors this afternoon.
Speculation continues to rage regarding Ozil's future with his contract due to expire at the end of the season but he was still expected to start today, so to be omitted from the squad entirely is strange - unless it is down to a previously unspecified injury, of course.
Ozil is, of course, not the only player to have questions swirling around his future, but
Alexis Sanchez does start this afternoon following his match-winning brace against Crystal Palace last time out.
There have been rumours of a rift between Sanchez and a number of his teammates due to the Chilean's attitude at times this season - and more questions were raised when some of his teammates appeared to snub a celebration following one of his goals against Palace - but even so Sanchez keeps his place in the team today.
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Sanchez and Ozil will both be free to discuss terms with other clubs from next month onwards, but one player who does look more likely to stay at the club despite his contract coming to an end is Jack Wilshere.
The England international once again starts this afternoon, making it five consecutive appearances in the Arsenal starting lineup for the first time since October 2013 - a real sign that he is coming back to full fitness. A five-game streak would be something to celebrate for Wilshere at any time, but to have come when the games arrive so thick and fast will be particularly pleasing.
Ozil's absence is the only change to Arsenal's starting lineup from their narrow win over Crystal Palace on Thursday, with Alex Iwobi chosen to take his place ahead of the likes of Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck.
That means another start for Chambers in the three-man defence - due largely to Monreal's absence through injury - while Lacazette leads the line again and Xhaka continues alongside Wilshere in the middle of the park.
As for the hosts, they are without first-choice striker Salomon Rondon this afternoon, which will be a major blow to the way
Alan Pardew would like to play against a team like Arsenal.
The Baggies have shown a little more attacking intent under Pardew even if the goals haven't come with it, but against Arsenal they will be resigned to conceding the vast majority of possession and Rondon - who has failed to recover from a hamstring injury - would have been a valuable asset to hold the ball up.
Rondon is replaced in the West Brom side by Hal Robson-Kanu, who is also capable of relieving pressure by holding the ball up but could be in for a long and lonely afternoon here.
West Brom's team sheet suggests that Rodriguez will play up alongside Robson-Kanu in a 4-4-2 formation, but in reality it is likely to be Robson-Kanu leading the line for the most part.
There are no further changes anywhere else in West Brom's starting XI for this afternoon, which means another start for fit-again trio Matt Phillips, Chris Brunt and Gareth Barry in midfield, alongside Livermore.
Barry, of course, knows all about breaking Premier League records having played more times in the division than any other player, who his presence in the West Brom side means that the competition's most experienced manager will come up against its most experienced player today.
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The Baggies back five also remains the same following their stalemate against Everton last time out, which means that Gibbs plays against his former club.
There will be plenty of focus on Jonny Evans too, with the West Brom skipper heavily linked with a move in January and Arsenal one of the clubs understood to be interested in his services.
Whether West Brom can afford to lose Evans or not remains to be seen, but the player himself could be forgiven for wanting to jump ship if a number of top-four contenders come in for his services.
As things stand it could be the difference between a Premier League winners' medal or relegation, with West Brom starting this match as the division's bottom club following Swansea's win over Watford yesterday.
It is all very tight at the bottom of the table, though, and West Brom can still ensure that they end 2017 just a point from safety should they win this afternoon.
Indeed, at the beginning of the day a victory would have lifted them up to 17th place by virtue of their superior goal difference over Crystal Palace, but Palace's unlikely draw against the Manchester City juggernaut earlier today means that West Brom can no longer climb out of the bottom three.
A draw would at least be enough to prevent them from finishing the year bottom of the table, and no team has drawn more matches in the Premier League this season than West Brom's nine.
The Baggies have also only lost nine games - the joint-lowest tally outside the top nine teams - but it is their lack of wins which have been the biggest problem. West Brom have won just twice all season, which is half the amount of the next lowest tally of victories in the division.
Both of those victories came in their first two games as well, and with an EFL Cup triumph making it three in a row across all competitions at the first three attempts, West Brom fans may have thought that they were in for a good season.
However, the Baggies are now winless since August, going a club-record 19 games - including 18 in the Premier League - without tasting victory. Indeed, their current 18-match barren run is the worst suffered by any club since Aston Villa's 19-game streak came to an end in January 2016.
West Brom's problems did not only begin in August, though. They have only won two of their last 19 Premier League outings now, losing 16 of those, and their tally of 19 league defeats in a calendar year equals their record from the Premier League era, which was set in 2014.
Alan Pardew's arrival has not exactly improved matters either, with the new boss still winless after six games. His record against Arsenal will worry West Brom fans too, with Pardew failing to win any of this last 12 league meetings with the Gunners, after winning two and drawing one of his first three against them.
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The common consensus is that there has been an improvement under Pardew, but one of the main gripes with Tony Pulis was West Brom's lack of attacking threat and they have only scored two goals in their six games under Pardew.
Indeed, only Swansea have scored fewer in the whole of the Premier League over the course of the season, and they have even failed to score in eight of their last 14 home league games - including three of their last five.
West Brom's wait for a win here at The Hawthorns now stretches back 10 games to the opening day of this season, and that victory is the only one they have enjoyed in front of their own fans since March, incidentally when Arsenal last visited.
West Brom are actually quite a tough team to beat here, with their three defeats matching Burnley and Everton and only one more than Chelsea have suffered, but they have still picked up fewer home points than every team apart from Swansea in the division, winning only once.
Arsenal will certainly be confident of coming away with at least a point this evening, then, but that will not be enough to satisfy the Gunners as they look to keep pace with the top four.
Liverpool's win over Leicester City yesterday took them four points clear of Arsenal and ensured that the Gunners cannot end the year in the Champions League places, but with Spurs not in action this gameweek Arsenal need to only avoid defeat to move above their North London rivals.
The Gunners are actually equidistant between bottom-of-the-table West Bromwich Albion and top-of-the-table Manchester City coming into this match, and while that is partly down to City's extraordinary season, it also suggests that Arsenal have been far below their required standard.
Five defeats before the turn of the year is not good enough for the Gunners, and they have already suffered 11 league defeats for the calendar year, which is the most in Wenger's reign.
Arsenal come into this game unbeaten in their last seven outings, though, stretching back to their thrilling 3-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United at the beginning of the month.
Three of those games have ended as draws, though, and their defensive record has taken a hit in the last two with five goals conceded against Liverpool and Crystal Palace - although they scored six to take four points from those two games.
Arsenal had only conceded one goal in their five games before those last two matches, but in general their defensive record has been worrying this season.
The Gunners don't get as much criticism for their defence as a club like Liverpool, but they have actually conceded more goals than any other team in the top seven this season, and their tally of 50 conceded in 2017 is their most in a single calendar year since 1984.
Arsenal are also the lowest scorers in the top six, so it is no surprise to see them once again languishing outside the Champions League places heading into 2018.
It has been a very patchy December for the Gunners, who have only won two of their six Premier League games this month to drop nine points from the 18 on offer. Indeed, victory today would be the first time this month that they have managed back-to-back league wins.
It is Arsenal's away record which will be on the biggest concern too, with the Gunners having won five, drawn three and lost five of their 13 away games across all competitions this season. Indeed, across all of 2017 they have won 12 and lost 11 of their 27 away outings in all competitions, so they are very much beatable on their travels.
If only away form counted in the Premier League this season then the Gunners would only sit ninth in the table having won only three of their 10 games on the road, picking up fewer points than Burnley, Watford and Leicester amongst others. They are, however, unbeaten in their last four top-flight away games, which is their best run for more than a year.
Whatever their current plight, though, today will be a day to celebrate Arsene Wenger's time at the club as he racks up his 811th Premier League game in charge of the Gunners - a phenomenal achievement which surpasses Sir Alex Ferguson.
During that time Wenger has won 468, drawn 197 and lost 145 of his games, winning the title three times including the only 'Invincible' season in Premier League history. The Frenchman's aura has diminished over the past decade or so, but he is undoubtedly still one of the all-time Premier League great managers.
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PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at The Hawthorns, which means that it is time for a prediction!
West Brom are on a torrid run of form at the moment, but they have been slightly better under Pardew despite the results not really improving. Arsenal, meanwhile, have been very hit-and-miss on the road, so this could be a potential banana skin for them. I am backing the Baggies to come away with a point here.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: West Brom 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal have unsurprisingly dominated this fixture down the years, but there has been some joy for West Brom here at The Hawthorns in the past two seasons with back-to-back victories over the Gunners on home soil.
To put that into contest, West Brom had only won twice in their previous 23 home games against Arsenal before that, so it has been a huge improvement from the Baggies over the last two years.
The most recent of those home wins came in March of this year when West Brom ran out 3-1 winners, with Craig Dawson helping himself to an unlikely brace.
Sanchez fired back for Arsenal to level the scores at one point, but Robson-Kanu was also on the scoresheet to hand the Baggies a famous victory.
One thing which does seem guaranteed this afternoon is an Arsenal goal; the Gunners have scored in all 23 of their Premier League games against West Brom in the past, which is the best such 100% record in the division.
The reverse fixture this season took place in September, when Arsenal ran out 2-0 winners at the Emirates courtesy of a Lacazette brace.
Right, the players are out and we're just about ready to go here! Before we get started, though, let's remind ourselves of the team news...
WEST BROM STARTING XI: Foster; Dawson, Hegazi, Evans, Gibbs; Phillips, Livermore, Barry, Brunt; Robson-Kanu, Rodriguez
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Cech; Chambers, Koscielny, Mustafi; Bellerin, Wilshere, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Iwobi, Lacazette, Sanchez
KICKOFF: Here we go, then! West Brom get the final Premier League game of 2017 underway!
Nothing much to report from the opening exchanges as both sides look to settle into the game. Arsenal have won an early corner, but it comes to nothing.
Arsenal have seen the majority of the ball in these opening exchanges, as you would expect, but not really in dangerous areas and West Brom have dealt with everything pretty comfortably so far.
CHANCE! The first chance of the afternoon falls to the home side as Phillips exchanges passes wirth Robson-Kanu down the right before standing a cross up into the middle. Rodriguez rises highest and gets his head to the ball, but Cech makes a fairly comfortable save.
CHANCES! Another chance for West Brom as Gibbs hoists a high ball into the box which Cech spills. Livermore latches on to the rebound, but cannot get any power behind his shot and it is cleared. Arsenal immediately break forward at the other end, but Lacazette is snuffed out twice in quick succession to keep the visitors at bay.
Cech looks like he is struggling a bit here. The keeper looks like he may have landed awkwardly before spilling the ball a couple of minutes ago, and he seems to be in some pain at the moment.
West Brom play a short corner to eventually find Phillips, whose piledriver takes a deflection on its way behind for another corner.
Dawson rises highest to meet the corner and nods it back across goal for Robson-Kanu, who plants his own header towards goal which Chambers blocks.
We're almost 15 minutes into this match now and still Arsenal are yet to test the West Brom keeper. The closest they have come were those two shots from Lacazette which were blocked before they reached Foster.
There is certainly more attacking intent about West Brom under Pardew, even in these matches when the fans might expect them to sit back a bit more. They need the results to match that, though.
West Brom come forward again, but the final ball is disappointing from Phillips and easily cleared. There is a lack of real quality in the final third at the moment.
Another encouraging break forward from West Brom as Phillips breaks forward down the right, but once again they cannot take full advantage of it. Pardew will be happy with what he has seen from his side in the opening 20 minutes, though.
This time the ball in from Phillips is better as he bends one into the middle, but none of his strikers have made the run to the near post and Mustafi is able to clear.
We're a quarter of the way through this match now and West Brom have been the better team so far. Arsenal are yet to get going at all and, while the Baggies are not exactly creating chances at will, they are looking the most likely to break the deadlock as things stand.
Good pressing from West Brom as they look to win the ball back high up the field. Arsenal avoid doing so right on the edge of their own box, but West Brom do soon win it back and win a free kick within shooting range too...
SHOT! Brunt goes for goal from the resulting free kick, but it is high and wide of the target.
SAVE! Arsenal have a rare shot on goal, but it is an easy one for Foster to gather as he collects Xhaka's long-range strike.
SAVE! Better from Arsenal as Iwobi cuts inside onto his left foot and fires an effort off towards goal. Foster almost overestimates how far it is going, but he manages to claw it away for a corner.
The good news for Arsenal is that Cech seems to have shaken off that earlier knock, but now Kolasinac is limping too. The defender looks like he will try to run it off, but he isn't moving freely right now.
YELLOW CARD! The first card of the game is shown to Evans, who rather dived into his challenge on Iwobi. It was a perfectly fine tackle, but you can't dive in like that anymore.
Well, this hasn't been a thriller to see out 2017 so far, it must be said. Matches involved West Brom usually aren't, and they have nullified the entertaining recent nature of Arsenal so far.
ARSENAL SUB: Kolasinac has not recovered from that early knock and will not be able to reach half time here, being replaced by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
This is the closest we have come to seeing a goal in the opening 40 minutes...
Most of West Brom's good work has come down their right flank today, with Phillips having the beating of first Kolasinac and now Maitland-Niles as he dances past him and puts another cross into the box.
West Brom are furious here as Mike Dean awards a free kick against Rodriguez when all he did was hold off a Koscielny challenge. Robson-Kanu would have been away too, so that was a harsh call from the ref.
It is a clear tactic from Pardew to attack down that right flank here, but so far Arsenal have dealt with the crosses into the box. The Baggies are getting into decent positions, but cannot make the most of them.
There will be two added minutes at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Arsenal
The first half comes to an end at The Hawthorns and we are still all square following what was, quite frankly, a pretty dull opening 45 minutes.
Chances were few and far between at both ends of the field, but it is West Brom who will go into the halfway stage happier with their performance so far.
West Brom have not only prevented Arsenal from scoring, but they have actually looked the most likely to break the deadlock themselves, with some particularly dangerous attacks down the right flank.
Despite that, the closest they have come was a fairly tame header from Rodriguez which was comfortably saved by Cech. Livermore had a half-chance shortly afterwards when Cech spilled the ball inside the box, but nothing came of it.
Arsenal have been poor going forward so far, offering precious little in the absence of Mesut Ozil and only testing Foster on a couple of occasions.
Both of Foster's saves - from Xhaka and Iwobi - were routine ones, but the latter almost saw the keeper dive too early and he needed to readjust to claw it behind for a corner.
It has been 32 years since we saw a goalless draw between these two sides, but if the second half is anything like the first then that looks like being the most likely scenario here.
Arsenal will be hoping that they cannot be as toothless going forward in the coming 45 minutes, while West Brom will want to turn their good positions into tangible chances.
KICKOFF: Arsenal get us back underway for the second half at The Hawthorns!
No changes for either side at half time, but Arsenal did make the sub in the first half when Kolasinac was replaced by Maitland-Niles, who hasn't really settled into the game since his introduction.
Chance for Arsenal to test the keeper here as Dawson brings down Lacazette right on the edge of the box. Free kick in a very dangerous position...
Sanchez takes on the free kick duties, but the wall does its job.
Good spell of possession for Arsenal as they knock the ball about inside the West Brom half, but they are soon forced back. No way in behind West Brom at the moment, with Lacazette a peripheral figure at best right now.
Chambers is forced to hack the ball out for a throw after a pass almost sold him short, with Rodriguez chasing it down. The Baggies are not making anything easy for their visitors today.
Rodriguez exchanges passes before breaking in down the left channel and going down under the challenge of Iwobi, but referee Mike Dean says no free kick. It would have been in a good position too.
A West Brom corner is knocked down by Evans to Hegazi, who juggles the ball a bit but his back is to goal and he cannot steer his effort on the turn on target.
YELLOW CARD! Mustafi picks up a yellow card for a late challenge on Robson-Kanu.
YELLOW CARD! ...and he is quickly followed into the book by Brunt, who tripped Wilshere.
CHANCE! Finally a chance! It is a rare bit of quality in the final third as Wilshere pings a pass into Lacazette, who then plays a quick one-two with Iwobi. Lacazette collects the ball again and works space to shoot, but his powerful low strike is kept out by Foster.
CLOSE! Lacazette threatens again here as Sanchez this time plays the pass into the box. Lacazette gets across Evans and can only get a toe to the ball, but that is enough to send it narrowly past the post.
SHOT! We've had about as much goalmouth action in the past three minutes as in the first hour. Sanchez is the latest to threaten, cutting inside from the left before drilling a strike into the side-netting.
Arsenal have just upped the tempo and increased the pressure in the last five minutes or so. This is the visitors' best spell of the match so far.
Arsenal are lining up a sub which will see Mertesacker come on here. Not exactly a change I feel will spark this match into life...
Here is that Lacazette chance which was saved by Foster - the closest we have come to a goal so far...
Almost a chance for Sanchez as the ball breaks to him just outside the box, but his effort is quickly charged down by the West Brom defence.
ARSENAL SUB: Here is that change as Per Mertesacker replaces Koscielny.
WEST BROM SUBS: The Baggies respond with a double change as
James McClean and Grzegorz Krychowiak replace Brunt and Phillips.
SAVE! Livermore gives the ball away inside his own half and Iwobi only has one thought in his mind, but his long-range effort is tame and easily gathered by the keeper.
ARSENAL SUB: A third and final change for Arsenal sees Danny Welbeck replace Iwobi.
WEST BROM SUB: West Brom immediately respond with their third change too as Allan Nyom comes on in place of Robson-Kanu.
McClean works a yard down the left to get a cross into the box which takes a deflection on its way in. Livermore sticks a leg out at the front post, but cannot get a touch to steer the ball beyond Cech.
CHANCE! West Brom have their best attacking moment of the match as it all seems to open up for Rdroguez as he drives towards goal. He lets fly from the edge of the box, but his effort is straight at Cech who parries it away.
A good spell of pressure from West Brom sees them win a free kick, but McClean's effort from a long way out strikes the top of the wall.
West Brom are the team who are just about on top as we head into the final 10 minutes here. Hopefully the game will finally begin to open up as both sides chase the win!
YELLOW CARD! Chance for Arsenal now as Sanchez wins a free kick right on the edge of the box. Mike Dean flashes a yellow card to Dawson, who made the challenge along with Barry.
GOAL! West Brom 0-1 Arsenal (Alexis Sanchez)
Arsenal finally have the breakthrough as Alexis Sanchez sends his free kick right through the wall and in.
It is poor defending from West Brom and McClean in particular, who turned his back while in the wall. The ball goes through the gap he left and takes a deflection off him before flying past the keeper and in. It may go down as a McClean own goal, but Sanchez is claiming it for now.
Can West Brom respond here? That goal is harsh on the Baggies, who deserve a point from this game, and they must now hit back quickly if they are to avoid ending this year bottom of the table.
PENALTY TO WEST BROM!
GOAL! West Brom 1-1 Arsenal (Jay Rodriguez, penalty)
Incredible scenes at The Hawthorns! Barely anything has happened all game, but two goals in the dying stages have seen this mtxh come to life now!
The penalty is a hugely controversial one as Gibbs gets the slightest touch to the ball to turn it against Chambers. It hits the defender's arm, but it is no way deliberate and there was nothing Chambers could do to prevent it, so it is very harsh. Nevertheless, Rodriguez steps up and fires it straight down the middle!
There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.
Confirmation also that the Arsenal own goal has gone down as a McClean own goal.
FULL TIME: West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Arsenal
Well, well, well. It looked like being an anticlimactic end to 2017 as far as the Premier League is concerned, but never write this league off!
The bulk of the action was reserved for the final seven minutes as West Brom spoil Arsene Wenger's record-breaking day with a 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns, with both goals coming in the dying embers of the game. Sanchez appeared to have won it for the Gunners when his free kick deflected in off McClean, but there was more drama to come when Chambers was harshly penalised for a handball and Rodriguez fired the resulting penalty home.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's match as West Bromwich Albion strike late to rescue a draw with Arsenal on Arsene Wenger's record-breaking day. I will leave you with our match report, but from me it is goodbye for now, and a very happy New Year!
