Albion narrowly beaten by leaders Arsenal

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Gunners go seven points clear at the top after a 1-0 win at the Amex.

Bruce Talbot

2026-03-04T21:30+00:00

Jack Hinshelwood challenges Gabriel. 📷Paul Hazlewood

Albion can consider themselves unfortunate not to take something off leaders Arsenal at the Amex.

Bukayo Saka’s early goal was the difference but for the rest of the game the home side produced an energetic and hardworking performance that deserved some reward.

Arsenal’s defence needed to be at their rugged best and when called upon goalkeeper David Raya frustrated Albion, a sprawling save to deny Georginio Rutter coming during the home side's best spell in the second half. Arsenal had an XG of 0.44, which illustrated how well Albion defended in the absence of Lewis Dunk, who was absent with a minor knee injury.

Carlos Baleba and Georginio also came into the team that beat Nottingham Forest on Sunday and Baleba should have scored in the third minute. He intercepted Raya’s careless pass out but his chip over the keeper lacked sufficient power and Gabriel cleared a yard in front of goal.

Diego Gomez and Piero Hincapie in a foot race. 📷James Boardman

The unfortunate Baleba was involved when Arsenal took a 10th-minute lead. Saka cut in from the right and although his shot lacked power it took a nick off the midfielder and wrongfooted Bart Verbruggen on its way in. It was a soft goal to concede.

Gabriel rescued Arsenal again with a crucial block when Kaoru Mitoma homed in on goal then Rutter and Ferdi Kadioglu exchanged passes but Rutter’s shot was inadvertently blocked by his teammate inside the box.

Albion didn’t deserve to be trailing at the break, and the Amex crowd were right up for it, making their displeasure known every time an Arsenal player went to ground or dawdled over the taking of a set-piece.

Ferdi Kadioglu challenges Declan Rice. 📷James Boardman

There was no let-up in the second half. Yankuba Minteh had replaced Mitoma and was soon involved. His cross fell for Rutter to strike but Reya made a sprawling save to his right before Minteh sped past Piero Hincapie but Christhian Mosquera made a superb intervention in front of goal to prevent his cross reaching Georginio, who was waiting to bundle the ball over the line.

Mats Wieffer and Jack Hinshelwood frustratingly mistimed free headers before Baleba made a good recovery to prevent Kai Havertz from testing Verbruggen after he had given the ball away.

Jack Hinshelwood stretches and beats Eberechi Eze to the ball. 📷Paul Hazlewood

It was a rare moment of alarm for Albion and Danny Welbeck was summoned with 20 minutes to go to try and get through the equaliser.

But Arsenal used all their experience to navigate the closing stages and Albion couldn’t create the clear-cut opportunity to create the equaliser they deserved.

Albion: Verbruggen, Kadioglu, Boscagli, van Hecke, Wieffer (Veltman 77), Mitoma (Minteh 45), Gross, Baleba (Ayari 77), Gomez (Howell 77), Hinshelwood (Welbeck 69), Rutter.