West Brom vs Arsenal LIVE: Sanchez STARTS amid transfer speculation, Ozil to Man Utd panic

West Brom vs Arsenal LIVE: Express Sport brings you the latest Premier League score, goals and highlights from the Hawthorns

ALAN PARDEW ON ARSENE WENGER

16:10:”I don’t think there are any words I can say to give justice to what he’s achieved in English football,” Pardew said of the Frenchman. “It’s well documented he changed from an era of players perhaps not being as professional as they could have been to a very professional era.

“The thing I think he’s brought to the Premier League is a positivity that his team will gain the upper hand or attempt to take the upper hand. I admire that. As we have seen over the Christmas period, there are a lot of teams who will take the initiative away and be happy not to have it.

“I will say, ‘Well done’ to him before the game and hopefully at the end say, ‘Unlucky’.”

Arsenal supporter Piers Morgan had a very different message to Pardew.

He tweeted: Congratulations to Arsene Wenger on his record-breaking day: longest any manager has ever gone between winning the Premier League and not getting sacked. 13 years and eight months!

GRIM RECORD…

16:05: It is 18 top-flight games since the Baggies last had a win to celebrate and Alan Pardew is still yet to toast three points in six attempts.

STAT OF THE DAY

*West Brom have won their last two home league games against Arsenal, as many as they had in the previous 23 home meetings.

*Arsenal have scored in all 23 of their Premier League games against West Brom.

*Alexis Sanchez has scored three goals in his last four Premier League games against West Brom.

JACK FOR ENGLAND!

16:00: Time for a bit of positive Arsenal news with Arsene Wenger declaring Jack Wilshere’s improving form is making it harder for Gareth Southgate to ignore his credentials for England.

The Arsenal midfielder, 25, has recently impressed after returning to Wenger’s starting XI, and again demonstrated his ability with the fine pass that released Alexis Sanchez to score in Thursday’s 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace.

Southgate had previously expressed concerns that despite his admiration for Wilshere, he could not consider him for selection until he is regularly playing in the central midfield role he believes suits him best.

However, Wenger has seen the way Wilshere’s presence has given his team greater balance and also how he is more disciplined, and he believes such improvements will bring international recognition.

Asked if it had become hard for Southgate to ignore him, the 68-year-old Wenger said: “Of course. Jack has some great qualities, especially when we lose the ball, he’s the first one to put the opposition under pressure. He has really improved the defensive side of his game.”

OZIL…

15:55: I can also see Arsenal supporters freaking out on Twitter because of Mesut Ozil’s absence.

The latest reports suggest a minor knee injury is the reason for him not being in today’s squad – but that hasn’t stopped people suggesting a January move to Manchester United is on the cards.

I repeat, a slight knee injury rules Ozil out of today’s game!

SANCHEZ…

15:50: You knew it was coming. The story of Manchester City’s pursuit of Alexis Sanchez.

City lost two star players in their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace today with Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne suffering injuries.

Asked on BT Sport if the injuries will trigger transfers, he said: ”I am talking about the game. We have to sit down and see what happened with Gabriel and Kevin and we will see.”

I didn’t hear a no…

CONGRATS, ARSENE

15:45: Allow me to say congratulations to Arsene Wenger, who takes charge of his record-breaking 811th match as Arsenal manager.

There’s been high and lows during his 7750-day tenure, but the milestone takes him past Sir Alex Ferguson’s tally of 810 matches in charge of Manchester United.

I think a celebratory GIF is in order. Yep, that’s how we do things in 2017…

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Tom: Why is Mesut Ozil never available when Arsenal have a horrible looking away game against a rather physical side?

Logan: I’m sure Mesut Ozil is having medical right now at Carrington.

Joe: Don’t believe that injury/illness or contract is behind Ozil’s absence today. He’s one of the only players in the Premier League who consistently has a good game against N’Golo Kante. Rested for Wednesday I reckon…

Is that a joke, Joe?

TEAM NEWS – WEST BROM

15:40: And now for the hosts.

Alan Pardew has kept things simple with just one change from the goalless draw with Everton.

Striker Salomon Rondon misses out with injury and Hal Robson-Kanu replaces him.

TEAM NEWS – ARSENAL

15:35: Let’s start with the visitors.

The headline news is that Mesut Ozil hasn’t made the matchday squad, which is bond to have people talking with the January transfer window less than 24 hours away. Alex Iwobi replaces him.

And that’s the only change Arsene Wenger has made from the victory over Crystal Palace earlier this week. Granit Xhaka passes a late fitness test.

WEST BROM vs ARSENAL

15:30: OK, here are the line-ups for today’s clash at the Hawthorns. No sign of Mesut Ozil. Alex Iwobi replaces the German international in attack.

West Brom XI: Foster, Dawson, Hegazi, Evans, Gibbs, Phillips, Livermore, Barry, Brunt, Rodriguez, Robson-Kanu.

Subs: Nyom, Yacob, Myhill, McClean, Burke, Krychowiak, McAuley.

Arsenal XI: Cech, Koscielny, Chambers, Mustafi, Bellerin, Xhaka, Wilshere, Kolasinac, Sanchez, Iwobi, Lacazette.

Subs: Ospina, Mertesacker, Walcott, Welbeck, Maitland-Niles, Coquelin, Elneny.

HAVE YOUR SAY

15:28: If you want to vent your frustrations, or discuss any issues in the world of football (within reason), then get in touch!

You can either comment at the bottom of the page or contact me via Twitter using the hashtag #ExpressSport.

AFTERNOON…

15:25: Welcome to our LIVE coverage of West Brom vs Arsenal.

Only Arsenal could lose a match they weren’t playing.

Manchester City drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace at the Hawthorns earlier with Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne sustaining serious injuries.

Injuries that many believe will accelerate Alexis Sanchez’s seemingly inevitable January move to the Etihad.

I’ll get back to that in a moment, but first I’ll hit you with the team news and line-ups from the Hawthorns.

WEST BROM vs ARSENAL – PREVIEW

West Brom’s Nacer Chadli has been ruled out for up to two months after the recurrence of his hip problem.

The forward limped off in the 3-1 defeat to Stoke last weekend and is now unlikely to return until March. Salomon Rondon is a doubt with a hamstring injury.

Arsenal will remain without Olivier Giroud, Nacho Monreal and Aaron Ramsey. Giroud and Monreal are expected to be absent until mid-January, owing to respective hamstring and ankle injuries. Ramsey is also struggling with a hamstring problem.

Last season: West Brom 3 Arsenal 1, Arsenal 1 West Brom 0

Last five league matches: West Brom L D L L D; Arsenal D D W D W

Top scorers: Jose Salomon Rondon (West Brom) 4; Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) 8, Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) 8

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)