Arsenal gun down West Brom to go top

Arsenal 5

The Gunners were 3-0 ahead with just 24 minutes gone through Ashley Cole, Lauren and Wiltord but had to endure a nervous half-hour spell in the second-half as Scott Dobie pulled a goal back.

Arsenal went further ahead through Wiltord’s second strike but continued to display some defensive flaws as Jason Roberts pulled another goal back before substitute Jeremie Aliadiere rounded off the scoring late on.

Arsenal took less than four minutes to seize the lead as West Brom’s harsh initiation to life in the Barclaycard Premiership looked set to continue.

Kanu spotted Ashley Cole’s storming run down the left flank and lobbed the ball deftly into the full-back’s path.

Cole came under flak for his part in Aliou Cisse’s red card in the opening Premiership match at Highbury, with the Senegal international later cleared and the England international’s reputation tainted by accusations of diving.

The focus was nevertheless squarely back on the 21-year-old’s rich potential last night as he twisted outside and then inside Moore before hitting an unstoppable drive into the top corner.

With 22 minutes gone, West Brom were hit by a second sucker-punch. For this was a team with the defensive equivalent of a boxer’s glass jaw.

There was a passing similarity to the opening goal, with Kanu again the provider and a full-back - this time Lauren - on the scoresheet.

The Nigerian international cut the ball back from the byline and Lauren had time to control the ball before crashing his shot just underneath the crossbar.

If that was not bad enough for West Brom, even worse was to follow. With 21 minutes still left before half-time, they were 3-0 down, the match was over and a thrashing was more likely than a draw.

This time Henry provided the inspiration, chipping a pass towards Wiltord, who had escaped the offside trap and just managed to reach the ball ahead of keeper Russell Hoult, whom he promptly lobbed.

Scott Dobie pulled a goal back but Arsenal continued to press. While Kanu almost managed to bundle the ball into the net, he secured neither a penalty nor a goal, and then shot straight at Hoult rather than passing to Henry or Wiltord.

Keown, meanwhile, was extremely fortunate to escape with a booking when he held back Dobie just as the striker looked set to race clear on goal.

As it was, referee Paul Durkin played advantage and Dobie’s shot was tipped over by Seaman.

If he had awarded a free-kick, however, Keown - as the last defender - would surely have had to be sent off for a professional foul.

Parlour came on for Kanu as Wiltord moved up front and Arsenal looked to consolidate, but they were indebted to Campbell’s calmness under pressure at the back as Roberts wasted another clear opening.

Seaman managed to get away with another mistake before Arsenal finally managed to put the game beyond West Brom’s reach with a fourth goal on 78 minutes.

Cole sped forward down the left flank and crossed the ball towards Wiltord, who clipped his shot past Hoult to settle any growing Highbury nerves.

There was still time for West Brom to pull another goal back, with Roberts giving Keown yet more problems before firing past Seaman.

However, Arsenal retain the ability to outscore opponents with their rich array of attacking talent and sub Jeremie Aliadiere duly swept home their fifth goal from Henry’s cross late on.

Arsenal: Seaman, Cole, Keown, Campbell, Lauren, Wiltord, Vieira, Silva, Edu, Henry, Kanu. Subs: Taylor, Parlour, Luzhny, Toure, Aliadiere.

West Brom: Hoult, Clement, Moore, Gilchrist, Sigurdsson, Balis, McInnes, Johnson, Gregan, Roberts, Dobie.