Albion lose to leaders Arsenal

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Diego Gomez scored his eighth goal of the season but Albion go down 2-1 at the Emirates.

Bruce Talbot

2025-12-27T17:00+00:00

Diego Gomez salutes Albion's fans after scoring his eighth goal of the season. 📷James Boardman

Diego Gomez scored his eighth goal of the season as a second-half rally almost brought Albion reward against the Premier League leaders at the Emirates.

Arsenal looked to be in total control thanks to an early strike by skipper Martin Odegaard and Georginio Rutter’s own goal seven minutes after the break.

But Gomez volleyed home in the 64th minute to give Albion belief and Yankuba Minteh was denied an equaliser by David Raya’s save of the season contender.

Yankuba Minteh's reaction says it all after David Raya's brilliant save denied him an equaliser. 📷James Boardman.

Arsenal were relieved to hear the final whistle, but the frustration for Fabian Hurzeler was that it took an hour before his team showed what they are capable of.

Albion had two warnings before going behind. Viktor Gyokeres benefitted when Leo Trossard’s cross bounced over Lewis Dunk but the former Albion forward’s shot was tamely struck and straight at Bart Verbruggen.

Albion’s keeper was tested by Bukayo Saka’s angled effort, after Saka went past Maxim De Cuyper, but the next time Arsenal built down their right they went in front. Verbruggen’s pass out to Yasin Ayari was intercepted, Mikel Merino picked out Saka and his pass inside found Odegaard with enough time and space to whip a left-foot shot from 20 yards into the bottom corner.

Diego Gomez gets Albion back into the game with a smartly-taken volley. 📷James Boardman

Arsenal continued to dominate. Albion played three central defenders and tried to make the midfield as congested as they could but down the flanks both Saka, with Declan Rice behind him, and Trossard offered a sustained threat. Verbruggen showed fine reflexes to deny Martin Zubimendi before he charged out of his goal to halt Gyokeres by the touchline and earn a yellow card. With a better final action Arsenal would have added to their lead before the break.

Raya hadn’t been tested at all in the first half and Hurzeler shook things up by bringing on Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer. It provoked a response and Jack Hinshelwood found space but William Saliba took the sting out of his shot and Raya saved comfortably.

Jack Hinshelwood brings the ball under control. 📷James Boardman

Arsenal doubled their lead on 52 minutes when Rutter, stationed at the near post, got his angles all wrong and flicked Rice’s inswinging corner past a helpless Verbruggen. It was the fourth own goal in their last six Arsenal have scored.

Albion looked well out of it but 12 minutes later they got one back. Yasin Ayari twisted and turned to create enough space for a shot which beat Raya and rebounded off the far post to Gomez who calmly volleyed into the net.

Ferdi Kadioglu goes down under Viktor Gyokeres's challenge. 📷James Boardman

A switch had been flicked and suddenly Albion began to dominate. Danny Welbeck came on to provide another attacking option and Minteh thought he’d equalised with a right-foot volley, after a lovely flick by Rutter, but Raya produced a fantastic tip-over with his right hand at full stretch. From the corner Wieffer was isolated at the back post but headed over.

Gabriel Martinelli put a good opportunity to ease Arsenal nerves over from six yards before Tommy Watson and Babis Kostoulas came on for the closing stages, but Albion couldn’t fashion another clear-cut chance.

Albion: Verbruggen, Coppola (Watson 87), Dunk, van Hecke, Kadioglu, De Cuyper (Wieffer 45), Ayari, Hinshelwood (Welbeck 74), Rutter. Gomez (Kostoulas 87), Gruda (Minteh 45).