Arsenal saw their run of 10 consecutive wins in all competitions come to an end on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League.
Claudio Yacob gave the hosts the lead with 41 minutes on the clock when he headed in his first goal for the club.
However, the Gunners earned a share of the spoils with just over 25 minutes left as Jack Wilshere struck a fierce shot past Boaz Myhill.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report below to find out how the action unfolded.
Hello there and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of this afternoon's Premier League encounter between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at The Hawthorns. This could be a cracker.
We've got some team news in for you...
WEST BROM: Myhill; Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell; Yacob, Mulumbu, Amalfitano, Sessegnon; Berahino, Anelka
The hosts make two changes to their starting XI following last weekend's win over Manchester United as Saido Berahino and Nicolas Anelka both come into the side. Anelka, of course, is lining up against his former club.
WEST BROM SUBS: Daniels, Popov, Morrison, Brunt, Lugano, Long, Rosenberg
Just waiting for the Arsenal team news now. Come on, Arsene...
ARSENAL: Szczesny; Jenkinson, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, Wilshere, Ozil; Giroud
The Gunners have made two changes to their side after their midweek win over Napoli in the Champions League. Carl Jenkinson and Jack Wilshere both return, while Bacary Sagna and Tomas Rosicky make way.
ARSENAL SUBS: Fabianski, Monreal, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Gnabry, Miyaichi, Bendtner
Right, to business. Both of the teams are likely to be fancying themselves to get a result today for different reasons. West Brom haven't had the best of starts to the season but they surprised everyone last weekend when they defeated Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Arsenal have won their last 10 games in all competitions - an imperious run of form.
UPDATE: Today's two early fixtures in the Premier League have just finished and there are wins for Chelsea and Southampton. Jose Mourinho's side have seen off Norwich City 3-1 at Carrow Road, while the Saints have beaten Swansea City 2-0 at St Mary's.
Those results don't do an awful lot to the table - Arsenal will still go top if they beat West Brom today.
That's one hell of a carrot to dangle in front of Arsene Wenger's side, who have been unstoppable as of late. As mentioned, the Gunners have won their last 10 matches on the bounce in all competitions. Quite the turnaround considering all of the doom and gloom that surrounded their opening-day defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
One of those victories came against West Brom at the end of last month in the third round of the Capital One Cup. Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw after extra time, but they eventually came through 4-3 on penalties.
As for West Brom, they couldn't buy a win at the start of the season but two consecutive victories have seen them get their campaign up and running. As it stands they occupy 12th place in the table and could rise up to eighth if they clinch another three points.
It's worth having another look at Morgan Amalfitano's goal from West Brom's win at Manchester United last weekend. The Frenchman jinked his way through the defence before finding the net with a wonderfully cheeky finish:
HEAD TO HEAD: Arsenal have the edge over West Brom when it comes to the head-to-head record between the teams. The Gunners have won 62 of the 122 encounters, while the Baggies have come out on top 32 times.
When it comes to playing at The Hawthorns, Arsenal have not been beaten there in six games. They came out on top in this fixture last season thanks to a 2-1 victory.
RECENT FORM:
WEST BROM: WLDWLW
ARSENAL: WWWWWW
The biggest cheer is saved for Saido Berahino as the teams are read out at The Hawthorns. #WBAARS — WBAFCofficial (@WBAFCofficial) October 6, 2013
Just under 10 minutes to go until this one gets underway...
Right, the players are lined up in the tunnel ready to go. It's a bright, fresh day in the Midlands, great conditions for what could be a superb game of football.
The players are out, the pre-match rituals have been done and it will be West Brom to get us underway. Here we go!
It's been a fairly even opening few minutes so far, with both teams just getting a feel of each other. No significant attacks as of yet.
A half-chance falls the way of Arsenal following a speedy counter-attack, but Giroud's cross has too much on it and evades Wilshere waiting in the middle.
West Brom are looking confident at the moment, always looking to go forward when they get the ball. However, the visitors are already posing a few threats on the break.
CHANCE! Arteta has an early sight of goal for Arsenal, lining up a fierce effort from around 20 yards that cannons off Giroud and out for a goal kick. That looked like it was going on target. The away side are just starting to seize control now.
He may be in a fine vein of goalscoring form, but Ramsey smashes a free kick well over the crossbar from all of 30 yards. You can't blame the Welshman for having a crack, such is the season that he's having.
SAVE! Almost the opener for West Brom as Berahino sees his long-range shot deflected towards goal. However, Szczesny is there to get down low and push the ball away from danger.
Quite a frantic pace to this game now. Both sides are showing plenty of attacking intent, bombing forward at every available opportunity. Gibbs is the latest player to try his luck from distance, only to get it horribly wrong and blast his shot high and wide.
One feature of West Brom's play so far has been to use the ball quickly. They've won a few free kicks in the Arsenal half and have looked to get play going again as soon as possible, giving their opponents little time to adjust.
Good defending from MacAuley there, hustling Giroud out of the ball when the Frenchman was trying to reach Wilshere's pass inside the box.
YELLOW CARD: Mathieu Flamini is the first player to go into the book this afternoon, with the Arsenal midfielder punished for a reckless foul on Amalfitano.
SHOT! Some good passing from Arsenal around the West Brom box ends with Wilshere having a crack at goal, but he pushes his effort narrowly wide of the post.
There's not been a great deal of involvement for Ozil so far. Instead it's Arteta, Wilshere and Ramsey who are seeing most of the action in midfield for the visitors.
Some possible concern for Arsenal as Wilshere is currently down on the turf. It looks like he might have got a poke in the eye from Yacob.
He had to go off the pitch for treatment, but Wilshere is back on and back in the thick of the action.
PENALTY APPEAL! West Brom want a penalty after Sessegnon goes down under the attention of two Arsenal players. However, referee Lee Mason is having none of it and waves play on. That looked interesting.
Myhill makes a comfortable save in the West Brom goal following Giroud's ambitious effort from 25 yards.
Looking back at the Sessegnon penalty shout, the West Brom winger went down far too easily when it would have been better for him to stay on his feet and run at goal.
SAVE! Nearly the opening goal for Arsenal! Ramsey struck the ball through a number of players, but Myhill got down low to save before Mulumbu cleared.
GOAL! WEST BROM 1-0 ARSENAL (YACOB)
We have the breakthrough and it's Claudio Yacob with the goal! Arsenal failed to clear their lines from a corner, allowing Amalfitano to pick the ball up out wide. The Frenchman then swung a delightful cross into the box where Yacob was waiting to head in past Szczesny.
Three minutes added time.
YELLOW CARD: Wilshere goes into the book after hacking down Yacob from behind. Not the smartest thing the Arsenal midfielder has done today.
HALF TIME: WEST BROM 1-0 ARSENAL
Lee Mason blows the half-time whistle and it's West Brom who have the lead thanks to Claudio Yacob's goal on 41 minutes.
Both sides have contributed to a good first half of football, one that had plenty of attacking action and some feisty play in midfield to boot. However, it's the Baggies who are ahead.
Remember, Arsenal can go top of the league if they win today. They're up against it as it stands, but you wouldn't bet against them turning this around. They've probably been the better side going forward so far.
There have already been two other matches that have been played in the Premier League today, with Chelsea beating Norwich City 3-1 at Carrow Road and Southampton earning a 2-0 victory against Swansea City at St Mary's.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur are currently being held to a 0-0 draw against West Ham United at White Hart Lane.
The players are out for the second half and it will be Arsenal to get us back underway. Can the Gunners turn it around?
CHANCE! What a glorious opportunity for West Brom to extend their lead at the start of the second half! Berahino does brilliantly down the left side, crossing for Anelka in the middle. However, the former Arsenal striker gets his feet all wrong, allowing Szczesny to collect.
The home side threatens again with Jones down the right, but his low cross is cut out by the Arsenal defence.
MISS! Anelka is presented with a superb chance again, only to miss the target! The Frenchman broke the offside trap before running through on goal with just Szczesny to beat, but he somehow slipped the ball wide of the post when you would have put your house on him scoring. How costly could that be?
YELLOW CARD: Jonas Olsson goes into the book for West Brom after chopping down Giroud with Arsenal threatening to break.
Berahino shows quick feet on the edge of the box before having a shot on goal, though it's straight at Szczesny and an easy save for the Pole.
SUBSTITUTION: Arsenal make their first change of the match as Tomas Rosicky comes on for Aaron Ramsey.
PENALTY APPEAL! Arsenal are claiming handball as Jones blocks Gibbs's cross, but Lee Mason wants nothing to do with it. It would have been a harsh one had it been given.
He's already got one goal to his name today, but Yacob fails to grab a second as his weak effort from 20 yards slides well wide.
GOAL! WEST BROM 1-1 ARSENAL (WILSHERE)
What a goal from Jack Wilshere to get Arsenal level! Giroud and Rosicky exchange passes on the edge of the box before Wilshere unleashes a fierce drive from 20 yards that takes a nick on the way through past Myhill. That may have been a touch fortunate in some respects, but it was a superb strike from the midfielder.
Credit to West Brom, they've not let their heads drop after that equaliser. The home side are continuing to push forward and still look menacing.
SUBSTITUTION: West Brom make their first change of the afternoon now as Shane Long replaces former Gunner Nicolas Anelka.
MISS! It looked as if Giroud thought that he was offside there as Ozil's cheeky scooped pass reached him inside the area. The Frenchman whacked his volley well off target when he had time to take a touch and compose himself.
SAVE! A good stop from Szczesny there as he pushes away Jones's fizzing drive. It looks like we could be in with quite a finish here at The Hawthorns as both sides continue to attack.
SAVE! Brilliant goalkeeping from Myhill to deny Giroud! The striker was picked out brilliantly with a long ball before trying to round the West Brom goalkeeper. However, Myhill did well to stay on his feet and keep the shot out.
SUBSTITUTION: Another swap for West Brom here as James Morrison replaces Stephane Sessegnon.
Ten minutes of normal time left. Who, if anyone, is going to find a winner?
West Brom are looking the more threatening at the moment. Long has made a real difference for them in attack, giving the Arsenal defence a difficult time with his pace and movement.
SUBSTITUTION: Olivier Giroud's afternoon comes to an end as he is replaced by Nicklas Bendtner.
SUBSTITUTION: West Brom's final change sees Chris Brunt come on for Morgan Amalfitano.
Four minutes of added time have been given.
Two minutes of stoppage time left. Are we to have a late winner?
FULL TIME: WEST BROM 1-1 ARSENAL
The full-time whistle goes and the spoils are shared between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal, with Jack Wilshere equalising for the visitors after Claudio Yacob had put the home side ahead.
Anyway, that's all from me for now but don't forget that you can keep up to date with all of the latest reports and reaction from the Premier League right here on Sports Mole. Thank you very much for your company and we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye!
Written by
Jack Prescott
Jack Prescott
