West Brom 0-4 Arsenal: Player Ratings as Gunners overcome blizzard to crush Baggies

Arsenal overcame the wintery conditions to batter West Bromwich Albion 4-0 at the Hawthorns, as Mikel Arteta's men continued their mini-resurgence.

The Gunners took the lead on 22 minutes, when Kieran Tierney cut in from the left flank and fired a wonderful strike into the top corner on his weaker right foot. The visitors doubled their advantage mere minutes later, after Bukayo Saka tapped home to round off a beautiful, flowing team move.

Arsenal killed the game on the hour mark, with Alexandre Lacazette stroking the ball past Sam Johnstone, after Semi Ajayi almost turned a clearance into his own net. The Frenchman then nudged the final goal of the game over the line from a whipped Tierney cross to condemn West Brom to another defeat, and continue the Gunners' mini-revival.

Let's have a look at the player ratings from a goal-filled evening in the snow at the Hawthorns.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION

1. Goalkeeper & Defenders

Sam Johnstone (GK) - 5/10 - Made an early save to deny Bellerin smartly. Could do nothing to keep out Tierney's wonder strike. Left completely marooned for the second, third and fourth, too.

Darnell Furlong (RB) - 5/10 - Allowed Tierney inside to have a crack at goal far too easily. Big Sam will be fuming. A poor display from the full-back.

Semi Ajayi (CB) - 5/10 - Couldn't cope with Lacazette's hunger, and left exposed by Furlong's poor positioning on a number of occasions. Spared from scoring a hilarious own goal by hitting the post.

Branislav Ivanovic (CB) - 4/10 - Looked miles off the pace and not up to standard for the Baggies. Had no answer for Arsenal's fluid movement. Subbed through injury - a small mercy.

Dara O'Shea (LB) - 5/10 - Bombarded down that left side by the flying Saka and Bellerin. Torn apart as the Gunners relentlessly targeted his flank. A tough evening for the defender.

2. Midfielders

Romaine Sawyers (CM) - 5/10 - Did not score a hilarious own goal this time, thus making an immediate improvement on his last outing. Still, not sure he contributed anything positive to the performance.

Conor Gallagher (CM) - 6/10 - Wanted to make a difference, but his talents were restricted in such a rigid and uninspiring system. A slog of a 90 minutes.

Matt Phillips (CM) - 5/10 - Out of position, but used in the centre for his energy and pressing. Had no impact. He is a winger, after all.

3. Forwards

Matheus Pereira (RW) - 5/10 - Anonymous, and cut a very frustrated figure. Put in the work in terms of running, but not allowed to demonstrate what his game is all about.

Callum Robinson (ST) - 6/10 - Who wants to be a lone striker in an Allardyce football team? Jeez. So little to shout about for Robinson on Saturday, but not his fault at all. Did have a goal disallowed for offside.

Grady Diangana (LW) - 4/10 - Not sure if he touched the ball in the first half. Never got in the game, and the ball didn't come his way often enough to have a sniff. Subbed at half-time.

4. Substitutes

Charlie Austin (ST) - 5/10

Kyle Bartley (CB) - 6/10

Rakeem Harper (CM) - N/A

ARSENAL

5. Goalkeeper & Defenders

Bernd Leno (GK) - 7/10 - Spare a thought for the coldest man in The Hawthorns. Nothing to do, and would have turned into a snowman if he hadn't kept himself busy with individual warm-ups.

Hector Bellerin (RB) - 7/10 - Flashed an early shot towards goal, but saw his effort saved. Much better than recent displays, and delivered in both halves of the pitch.

Rob Holding (CB) - 8/10 - Resolute and commanding in his duties, while posing a threat in the Baggies' penalty area, too. Comfortable.

Pablo Mari (CB) - 7/10 - Stepped out of defence with the ball well, given his lack of defensive work required. A quiet evening for the centre-back.

Kieran Tierney (LB) - 8/10 - Got Arsenal off the mark with a brilliant strike on his supposedly weaker foot, crashing the ball into the top corner. Never relented from his offensive duties, supplying the fourth with a great cross.

6. Midfielders

Dani Ceballos (CM) - 8/10 - Always looking to penetrate the West Brom defence with direct, vertical passing, while not lacking bite in the tackle, either.

Granit Xhaka (CM) - 7/10 - Disciplined from the off, and showed no signs of the Mr Hyde to his Dr Jekyll. Kept Arsenal ticking and snuffed out potential dangers - not that there were many.

Emile Smith Rowe (AM) - 8/10 - Made a beautiful run behind the West Brom defence to completely carve them open for the second goal, selflessly rolling the ball across for Saka.

7. Forwards

Bukayo Saka (RW) - 9/10 - Continued his good form, using his direct running to good effect and terrifying his marker. Tapped home the second goal - couldn't miss from there. Brilliant again.

Alexandre Lacazette (ST) - 9/10 - Produced a lovely around-the-corner ball to send Smith Rowe in for the second. Killed the game with two clinical second-half goals.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (LW) - 7/10 - Drifted infield and created spaces down the left flank for Tierney to exploit. Still not getting in those goalscoring positions.

8. Substitutes

Ainsley Maitland-Niles (RB) - 7/10

Willian (RW) - 6/10

Joe Willock (CM) - 6/10