Another solid defensive performance from the Baggies that ultimately proved unsuccessful as Olivier Giroud grabbed the winner a few minutes from the end.
This game was Tony Pulis’s ninth visit to the Emirates with Stoke City, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion and he has lost all nine, having also lost on his only visit to Highbury in the FA Cup in 2005. While Albion were very close to getting a point this time around, Albion have been a much more potent force this season and perhaps a more attacking approach may have had more chance of success.
One game away from the halfway point in the season, this season remains Albion’s second best in the Premier League although back-to-back defeats mean that their points total is now a full seven points behind the record total from 2012.
| Home | Away | Season End | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Posn* | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Posn | Pts | |
| 2002/2003 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 27 | 15 | 17th | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 4 | 19th | 26 |
| 2004/2005 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 36 | 10 | 20th | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 3 | 17th | 34 |
| 2005/2006 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 17 | 28 | 16 | 17th | 4 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 3 | 19th | 30 |
| 2008/2009 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 33 | 15 | 20th | 3 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 4 | 20th | 32 |
| 2010/2011 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 24 | 31 | 22 | 12th | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 21 | 8 | 11th | 47 |
| 2011/2012 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 26 | 22 | 9th | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 10th | 47 |
| 2012/2013 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 26 | 22 | 30 | 6th | 7 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 8 | 8th | 49 |
| 2013/2014 | 18 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 24 | 17 | 15th | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 17th | 36 |
| 2014/2015 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 18 | 26 | 17 | 15th | 2 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 13th | 44 |
| 2015/2016 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 24 | 20 | 13th | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 14th | 43 |
| 2016/2017 | 18 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 9th | 4 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 9 | ||
| Comparison of Equivalent Fixtures^ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| 2015/2016 | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 24 | 19 |
| 2015/2016 Results | Arsenal (A) | L | 0-2 | ||||
| Southampton (A) | L | 0-3 | |||||
Results
| 2002/2003 | 14/12/2002 | Aston Villa (A) | L | 1-2 | Koumas |
| 2004/2005 | 18/12/2004 | Birmingham City (A) | L | 0-4 | |
| 2005/2006 | 26/12/2005 | Manchester United (A) | L | 0-3 | |
| 2008/2009 | 21/12/2008 | Manchester City (H) | W | 2-1 | Moore, Bednar |
| 2010/2011 | 26/12/2010 | Bolton Wanderers (A) | L | 0-2 | |
| 2011/2012 | 26/12/2011 | Manchester City (H) | D | 0-0 | |
| 2012/2013 | 22/12/2012 | Norwich City (H) | W | 2-1 | Gera, Lukaku |
| 2013/2014 | 26/12/2013 | Tottenham Hotspur (A) | D | 1-1 | Olsson |
| 2014/2015 | 26/12/2014 | Manchester City (H) | L | 1-3 | Ideye |
| 2015/2016 | 26/12/2015 | Swansea City (A) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2016/2017 | 26/12/2016 | Arsenal (A) | L | 0-1 |
Next Matches
| 2002/2003 | 21/12/2002 | Sunderland (H) | D | 2-2 | Dichio, Koumas |
| 2004/2005 | 26/12/2004 | Liverpool (H) | L | 0-5 | |
| 2005/2006 | 28/12/2005 | Tottenham Hotspur (H) | W | 2-0 | Kanu (2) |
| 2008/2009 | 26/12/2008 | Chelsea (A) | L | 0-2 | |
| 2010/2011 | 28/12/2010 | Blackburn Rovers (H) | L | 1-3 | Thomas |
| 2011/2012 | 01/01/2012 | Everton (H) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2012/2013 | 26/12/2012 | Queen’s Park Rangers (A) | W | 2-1 | Brunt, Green (o.g.) |
| 2013/2014 | 28/12/2013 | West Ham United (A) | D | 3-3 | Anelka (2), Berahino |
| 2014/2015 | 28/12/2014 | Stoke City (A) | L | 0-2 | |
| 2015/2016 | 28/12/2015 | Newcastle United (H) | W | 1-0 | Fletcher |
| 2016/2017 | 31/12/2016 | Southampton (A) |
* Positions are recorded as Albion’s position in the Premier League table after all fixtures for that day have been completed.
^ Fixtures against promoted clubs are compared against fixtures against the relegated clubs from last season with the club finishing 1st in the Championship compared against the club finishing 18th in the Premier League, 19th compared with 2nd and 20th compared with the Play-Off winner.