Aaron Ramsey back in starting XI for Arsenal v West Brom

ByEurosport

Published 21/04/2016 at 17:52 GMT

Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey starts in Thursday's Premier League clash against West Bromwich Albion.

Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey

Image credit: Reuters

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TEAMS

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Elneny, Ramsey, Sanchez, Ozil, Iwobi, Giroud. Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Coquelin, Campbell, Walcott, Welbeck.

Premier League

'They can win it' – McCoist believes Arsenal 'here to stay' in title race

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West Brom: Foster; Chester, Yacob, Evans, McClean, Berahino, McAuley, Fletcher, Dawson, Sessegnon, Sandro. Subs: Myhill; Olsson, Gardner, Anichebe, McManaman, Rondon, Leko

THE CONTEXT

Arsenal slipped into fourth place behind Manchester City, and are now almost certainly out of the title race. Two successive draws, against West Ham and then Crystal Palace, have given a familiar sinking feeling to Arsenal's season. However, with Liverpool and Manchester City in contention for the Europa and Champions League respectively, Arsenal cannot take any risks with Champions League qualification, and a win against West Brom would take them back into third place.

MANAGER QUOTES:

The Frenchman hoped there was still a late twist in the battle for the league title left, with Arsenal trailing leaders Leicester City by 13 points, with both teams left with four games to play after the Gunners face West Brom.

"The season is far from over," Wenger said. "It depends on who you play and the commitment you face.

"Against West Ham and Crystal Palace we were not efficient enough. That is a regret. It's my job to get the team 100 percent ready.

"Every time it doesn't work you question yourself, it is part of the job. In the end it is always down to me and I stand up to that."

Tony Pulis (Crystal Palace): "He [Saido Berahino] has been brilliant. He has been as good as gold,

"He missed two penalties. Everybody does it. The boy wanted to pick the second one up and take that one and he has missed that one. He will pick the next one up and take that as well and hopefully he will smash it into the back of the next.

"It's all character-building for him. He is a tremendous player. This year has been very much a rollercoaster season for him and things have happened to him that have never happened in his career before, but you dust yourself down and move on.

"The kid has been in there and the chances he has missed mean he will get stronger, but he won't stop going in there. He is that type of character."

"I am desperate to get to the next stage and the next stage. And as we have seen, we have played well enough in the last two games to pick points up and not got points.

"It's a relentless league. Unfortunately in the last couple of weeks it has dropped against us."

MATCH STATS

West Bromwich Albion beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Hawthorns earlier this season, despite only having one shot on target.
Only one of the 13 Premier League meetings between Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal and a side managed by Tony Pulis has ever ended as an away win. Pulis has lost all seven visits to the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners had been unbeaten in nine Premier League games against the Baggies before their defeat at the Hawthorns back in November (W7 D2).
West Bromwich Albion have won just one of their last 11 Premier League away games (W1 D5 L5).
Alexis Sanchez has scored or assisted seven goals in his last six Premier League games (four goals, three assists) after delivering just one in his previous 10.
West Brom have averaged lower than a goal a game under Tony Pulis in the Premier League (0.98 – 50 goals in 51 games).
However, the Baggies have kept a clean sheet in 21 of Tony Pulis’ 51 Premier League games in charge of the club (41% of matches).
Arsenal have won just four of their last 13 Premier League games (W4 D6 L3), only one more victory than West Brom in their last 13 PL matches (three wins).
Saido Berahino has scored just four goals in 28 Premier League appearances this season, after netting 14 in 2014-15.
The Gunners are currently on 499 Premier League victories – only Manchester United (583) have won more in the competition.