Arsenal have a narrow lead over West Bromwich Albion at the halfway point of this afternoon's Premier League encounter at the Emirates Stadium.
Lukas Podolski misfired with an early opening for the hosts before West Brom unlocked the Arsenal defence after six minutes, but Saido Berahino couldn't squeeze off a shot from a tight angle.
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The Gunners broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when Santi Cazorla, moments after his goal-bound shot was deflected over, swung over a corner that Olivier Giroud headed low into the corner for his 16th Premier League goal of the season.
It was almost two in the 25th minute when Mathieu Flamini burst into the box, but he couldn't quite pick out Mesut Ozil to tap home in the the middle.
Soon after the half-hour mark West Brom went close with a pair of long-range efforts.
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First, Graham Dorrans dipped a 25-yarder down the throat of Wojciech Szczesny before Berahino curled over the top after Ozil had conceded possession cheaply.
Arsenal almost had a second when Podolski cut back for Cazorla and the Spaniard sidefooted a shot towards the corner but couldn't beat Ben Foster.
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Pascal Lemesre
