Arsenal defeat luckless West Brom - reaction

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, speaking to Sky Sports: "It could have been given. The referee played advantage because he had the chance to score. It is a difficult decision.

"You are always under pressure when everyone else wins. You know you cannot afford to drop points, a team that can give you a difficult night is West Brom."

West Brom forward James Rodriguez, speaking to Sky Sports: "I felt contact. I went down and expected the foul to be given but it wasn't so I got back up. I wasn't injured or hurt. For me it was a penalty, sometimes you get them sometimes you don't.

"I wouldn't be rolling around trying to get free-kicks. It is one of them things but it is just difficult because if you do get that goal, 1-0 up it changes the game.

"If I have the chance to score and see it I am not going to stay down and shy away from it. You always have a conversation with the ref, we just talked. It was just one of those things.

"I thought it was in, it was a great save from the lad. The lads have worked extremely hard. We played really well, especially in the first half. We take those chances and are one or 2-0 up."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, speaking to BBC Sport: "They pushed us very hard, especially in the first half. They disturbed our build up and played a very dangerous and direct game. In the second half I felt we controlled the game and did not give anything away.

"Would [the West Brom penalty] have been given I would not have said it is a scandal. Looking at the decision again he made the right decision [to play advantage]. It is a difficult decision because if he doesn't give the advantage and he misses the penalty...

"You are never too honest. I believe he saw an opportunity he could score."

On Alexandre Lacazette: "He gets stronger in every game. Good first touch and movement.He is young and just arrived in England. The physical demands are very high."

West Brom boss Tony Pulis on refereeing decisions: "It is part of the game and things didn't go for us today.

"The great thing [with the challenge on Rodriguez] is that everybody has seen it so I don't have to comment on it."

Was Rodriguez too honest? "No, we tell our players not to roll about, he still wanted to score but once he has missed the referee should pull it back, it could be a penalty and they could have a player sent off so we not only score but are against a team down to 10 players.

"But we have got to start taking chances, we have given Arsenal a good game but we had to chase it in the second half and that suited Arsenal.

On Gareth Barry: "Gareth has been a wonderful professional and still is - and we hope he keeps performing like that uintil the end of the season."

SMS Message: Xhaka, value for money wise, is the worst Arsenal signing I've seen in 30 years of watching them. from Rick, Manchester.

Xhaka, value for money wise, is the worst Arsenal signing I've seen in 30 years of watching them.

West Brom captain Gareth Barry, speaking to BBC Sport: "It would have been great to have come away with a positive result but we can't ask more of the team. The lads up top created a lot of problems for them, disappointed a couple decisions didn't go our way.

"There are a lot of positives to take from the game."

On breaking the Premier League appearances record: "It was something different this week, having a lot of media attention. It will be nice to put this milestone to bed.

"I've not really given it too much thought about who is behind me. There is so much concentration on what you are doing."

It will be interesting to see about Mesut Ozil now - I bet he starts on Thursday in the Europa League on Thursday but I'm not sure about the Premier League.

Daniel Hodson: Who says Wenger doesn't splash the cash? Maitland-Niles will get appearance money to walk on and straight off the pitch

When you come to this kind of environment you want something to grow and feed off and in the first half they had that and the referee let them down.

It was a really shocking decision from the referee and in the second half Arsenal moved through the gears and people grew in confidence.

West Brom really threw the towel in late on and that will be a worry for Tony Pulis.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, speaking to BBC Sport: "We know all about their team. They are very organised but our application was good tonight.

"Alexandre Lacazette has made a fantastisc start. He is a fantastic player and we are lucky to have him.

"We want to make this a fortress and we have three wins here now. Hopefully that can continue."

On the early penalty shout for West Brom: "I was far up the pitch so I am not sure but there are hundreds of decisions referees have to make in a game. I think he had a solid game."

You have to say a professional performance from Arsenal - the referee played a major part and I'm sure Tony Pulis will have something to say about that.

Arsenal picked up three vital points but they are some way behind the top two in the Premier League at the moment.

Chris Milne: Maitland-Niles to get man of the match.

Luke: Is the Maitland-Niles appearance, the shortest ever in a Premier League game? must have been 6 seconds

Ainsley Maitland-Niles didn't even get 30 seconds, probably not much more than five seconds. Still, probably pocketed a bit of appearance money.

All over and an ultimately comfortable win for Arsenal.

It could have been different in one of those chances went in for West Brom in the first half, though.

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Wahey!

A free-kick for West Brom and Ainsley Maitland-Niles gets his chance for a cameo. He replaces Aaron Ramsey for about 30 seconds.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles, not even a year old when Gareth Barry made his Premier League debut, is still waiting patiently to come on but the ball just won't go out of play. He's barely going to get a minute at this rate.

Three minutes of stoppage time to be played.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is waiting to come on for Arsenal.

Arsenal counter through Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey before the latter shoots from outside the box but Ben Foster saves with his feet.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

I have been impressed with West Brom - really impressed with Rodriguez, who was unlucky in the game.

Had West Brom had that penalty early on for the foul on Rodriguez it could've been a very different game.