By Owen Phillips BBC Sport

Robin van Persie scored one goal and made two more as Arsenal secured a fourth consecutive Premier League win by cruising past West Bromwich Albion.

Arsenal led 2-0 at the break through Van Persie's tap-in and a Thomas Vermaelen shot from Van Persie's pass, despite not being at their fluent best.

But the Gunners dominated the second period against a West Brom side who only managed one effort on target.

And Mikel Arteta's fine strike sealed the victory after a sweeping move.

Arteta's classy 15-yard effort into the bottom corner, after some fine build-up play which twice involved the hugely impressive Van Persie, was the least the hosts deserved for their second-half dominance.

While the Baggies played with plenty of effort and endeavour throughout, and could consider themselves unfortunate to be trailing 2-0 to the only two chances of the first period, they can have no argument with the final result.

Too far behind to target top spot - Wenger

Lone forward Simon Cox was lively and dangerous but lacked support and their only effort on target did not come until the 86th minute when Steven Reid's header was easily saved by home keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Graham Dorrans also twice scuffed low efforts wide after the interval but the second half was a procession of Arsenal attacks as West Brom's solid resistance was broken.

The platform was laid before the break when Van Persie followed up from close range after Theo Walcott's initial shot from Arteta's pass was saved.

And, following Alex Song's cross-field pass, the excellent Vermaelen added a second from Van Persie's exquisite cut-back.

The Gunners, whose last league outing was their stunning win over Chelsea , completely dominated after the interval with Aaron Ramsey and Arteta bossing the midfield.

Belgian centre-half Vermaelen - buoyed by his first goal in almost two years - nearly made it 3-0 soon after the break but his header from Van Persie's corner, went a fraction wide.

DID YOU KNOW?

Robin van Persie's goal was his 11th in 11 Premier League games this season and his 29th in 2011

Gervinho, Ramsey and Song also all went close to adding to the lead before Arteta's strike brought Arsenal's 13th goal in their last four league wins over Stoke, Bolton and Chelsea.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:

"The spirit of the squad was right from the first to last minute. We worked well together and I always was positive with the team because one month ago we were in a very bad situation.

"You felt there is a desire to do well and now it goes better it is still there. This team wants to improve, wants to work hard and wants to get better and better. That is the most satisfying aspect.

"They didn't switch off when they led 2-0 and that is not always the case. Overall it was a controlled performance. We had complete domination.

"We are getting stronger. We scored five goals last week, three goals today and didn't concede, so overall it is a very positive afternoon."

West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson:

"Arsenal deserved to win. They played very, very well. The second goal came at the wrong time and at 2-0 with Arsenal in their current mood and form, they were able to play on that and relax. But we stuck to our guns but we lost to the better team.

West Brom will be better - Hodgson

"We put in one hell of a shift and I thought we had to because we were up against a very good Arsenal team in form, who were rampant.

"You could accuse of lacking a bit of quality at times, you could accuse us of, in the first half, playing the ball forward too early. You could accuse us of those things and I might agree with you, but one thing I certainly will not agree with you is that the players did not put in a shift."

Lineup, Bookings (0) & Substitutions (6)

Arsenal

  • 13 Szczesny
  • 05 Vermaelen
  • 06 Koscielny
  • 11 Santos
  • 25 Jenkinson
  • 08 Arteta
  • 14 Walcott (Arshavin - 78' )
  • 16 Ramsey (Rosicky - 71' )
  • 17 Song
  • 10 Van Persie
  • 27 Gervinho (Benayoun - 72' )

Substitutes

  • 21 Fabianski
  • 04 Mertesacker
  • 20 Djourou
  • 07 Rosicky
  • 23 Arshavin
  • 30 Benayoun
  • 09 Park Chu-Young

West Bromwich Albion

  • 01 Foster
  • 03 Olsson
  • 23 McAuley
  • 28 Jones
  • 07 Morrison
  • 11 Brunt
  • 12 Reid
  • 14 Thomas
  • 17 Dorrans (Thorne - 80' )
  • 22 Gera (Tchoyi - 63' )
  • 31 Cox (Mulumbu - 71' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Fulop
  • 20 Shorey
  • 25 Dawson
  • 05 Tchoyi
  • 21 Mulumbu
  • 29 Thorne
  • 32 Fortune
Ref: Oliver
Att: 60,091

Match Stats

Shots

12 9

On target

7 4

Corners

4 1

Fouls

12 12

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +3:04 Full time

Full Time The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

90:00 +1:58

Unfair challenge on George Thorne by Alex Song results in a free kick. Strike on goal comes in from James Morrison from the free kick.

90:00 +1:17

The official flags Jerome Thomas offside. Indirect free kick taken by Laurent Koscielny.

89:54

Somen Tchoyi is ruled offside. Clarindo Andre Santos takes the indirect free kick.

89:10

Short corner worked by Mikel Arteta.

88:19

Somen Tchoyi is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Laurent Koscielny takes the indirect free kick.

88:03

James Morrison takes a shot. Save by Wojciech Szczesny.

85:50

Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Chris Brunt, Steven Reid takes a shot. Save by Wojciech Szczesny.

85:36

Jerome Thomas takes a shot. Blocked by Alex Song.

83:39

Clarindo Andre Santos gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on James Morrison. Steven Reid takes the direct free kick.

81:46

Corner taken short by Mikel Arteta.

79:32 Substitution

Substitution George Thorne comes on in place of Graham Dorrans.

79:32

Somen Tchoyi takes a shot. Blocked by Thomas Vermaelen.

78:21

Tomas Rosicky takes a shot. Blocked by Jonas Olsson.

77:01 Substitution

Substitution Andrey Arshavin joins the action as a substitute, replacing Theo Walcott.

76:23

Carl Jenkinson challenges Jerome Thomas unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Chris Brunt.

75:36

Gareth McAuley fouled by Yossi Benayoun, the ref awards a free kick. Ben Foster takes the direct free kick.

74:33

Unfair challenge on Tomas Rosicky by James Morrison results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Robin van Persie.

73:10

Robin van Persie provided the assist for the goal.

73:10 Goal scored

Goal - Mikel Arteta - Arsenal 3 - 0 West Brom Mikel Arteta grabs a goal from inside the box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Arsenal 3-0 West Brom.

70:08 Substitution

Substitution Yossi Benayoun replaces Yao Gervinho.

70:08 Substitution

Substitution Aaron Ramsey leaves the field to be replaced by Tomas Rosicky.

70:08 Substitution

Substitution Youssouf Mulumbu on for Simon Cox.

70:08

Shot from inside the area by Robin van Persie clears the bar.

67:51

Chris Brunt takes a shot. Blocked by Somen Tchoyi.

66:58

Alex Song takes a shot. Save by Ben Foster.

65:59

Somen Tchoyi concedes a free kick for a foul on Laurent Koscielny. Free kick taken by Wojciech Szczesny.

64:57

Aaron Ramsey gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jerome Thomas. Jonas Olsson takes the direct free kick.

62:07

Wojciech Szczesny restarts play with the free kick.

62:07 Substitution

Substitution Somen Tchoyi replaces Zoltan Gera.

62:07

Free kick awarded for a foul by Simon Cox on Clarindo Andre Santos.

59:37

Effort from inside the area by Aaron Ramsey misses to the right of the target.

57:09

Carl Jenkinson challenges Jerome Thomas unfairly and gives away a free kick. Gareth McAuley takes the free kick. Effort on goal by Chris Brunt from just inside the penalty area goes over the target.

53:52

Graham Dorrans produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the target.

51:21

Robin van Persie takes the inswinging corner, Thomas Vermaelen produces a header from close range which goes wide of the left-hand post.

49:53

Graham Dorrans has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand post.

45:30

Chris Brunt is adjudged to have handled the ball. Wojciech Szczesny takes the free kick.

45:01

The game restarts for the second half.

45:00 +2:24 Half time

Half Time The half-time whistle blows.

45:00 +2:03

Mikel Arteta has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.

45:00 +0:31

Foul by Thomas Vermaelen on Zoltan Gera, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by Chris Brunt. The referee blows for offside against Jonas Olsson. Wojciech Szczesny takes the free kick.

44:00

Unfair challenge on Jerome Thomas by Carl Jenkinson results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Graham Dorrans.

40:54

Foul by Clarindo Andre Santos on Simon Cox, free kick awarded. The free kick is swung in left-footed by James Morrison, Thomas Vermaelen manages to make a clearance.

38:42

Assist by Robin van Persie.

38:42 Goal scored

Goal - Thomas Vermaelen - Arsenal 2 - 0 West Brom Thomas Vermaelen gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the area low into the middle of the goal. Arsenal 2-0 West Brom.

37:57

Corner from right by-line taken by Robin van Persie.

36:37

Laurent Koscielny fouled by Simon Cox, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Thomas Vermaelen.

32:56

Free kick awarded for a foul by Simon Cox on Clarindo Andre Santos. Wojciech Szczesny takes the direct free kick.

31:41

Thomas Vermaelen concedes a free kick for a foul on Simon Cox. Direct free kick taken by Jonas Olsson.

29:46

Free kick awarded for a foul by Billy Jones on Theo Walcott. Mikel Arteta takes the direct free kick.

28:16

Unfair challenge on Mikel Arteta by Simon Cox results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Aaron Ramsey.

25:53

The assistant referee signals for offside against Yao Gervinho. Free kick taken by Ben Foster.

21:27

The assist for the goal came from Theo Walcott.

21:27 Goal scored

Goal - Robin van Persie - Arsenal 1 - 0 West Brom Goal scored by Robin van Persie from close range low into the middle of the goal. Arsenal 1-0 West Brom.

21:23

Theo Walcott takes a shot. Save by Ben Foster.

21:13

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Thomas Vermaelen by Simon Cox. Direct free kick taken by Thomas Vermaelen.

16:46

Free kick awarded for a foul by Thomas Vermaelen on Simon Cox. Direct free kick taken by Gareth McAuley.

15:13

Free kick awarded for a foul by Clarindo Andre Santos on James Morrison. Free kick taken by Steven Reid.

15:13

Foul by Clarindo Andre Santos on James Morrison, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Steven Reid.

11:49

Zoltan Gera challenges Aaron Ramsey unfairly and gives away a free kick. Robin van Persie restarts play with the free kick.

7:46

James Morrison challenges Yao Gervinho unfairly and gives away a free kick. Strike on goal comes in from Clarindo Andre Santos from the free kick.

6:05

Free kick awarded for a foul by Jerome Thomas on Carl Jenkinson. Mikel Arteta takes the free kick.

5:11

The offside flag is raised against Jerome Thomas. Wojciech Szczesny takes the free kick.

3:00

The assistant referee flags for offside against Simon Cox. Clarindo Andre Santos takes the direct free kick.

1:22

Zoltan Gera challenges Aaron Ramsey unfairly and gives away a free kick. Aaron Ramsey takes the free kick.

0:53

Robin van Persie takes a shot. Blocked by Gareth McAuley.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.

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