Pulis admits West Brom were fortunate to beat Arsenal

Rob Conlon
Santi Cazorla: Missed penalty for Arsenal at West Brom

Santi Cazorla: Missed penalty for Arsenal at West Brom

Tony Pulis accepts that West Brom needed fortune on their side to beat Arsenal at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

The Baggies beat the North Londoners 2-1 despite only having one shot on target – while Santi Cazorla also missed a penalty in the second half.

Olivier Giroud had opened the scoring for Arsenal before James Morrison equalised and Gunners midfielder Mikel Arteta put through his own goal.

“There’s been games here this year where we’ve been disappointed because we’ve lost. I thought Arsenal were very good, particularly second half when they ramped it up,” Pulis said.

“Sanchez was just wonderful – his movement, his play. You’ve got Ozil and Cazorla who have wonderful talent. The lads deserve it for the effort and commitment, but we’ve played better and done better and not got the results.”

But Pulis admitted he feared Cazorla – who had previously never missed a penalty in the Premier League – was going to get a second chance to take his spot kick after Mark Clattenburg’s whistle created some confusion, but it emerged the referee had blown to rule the Spaniard had kicked the ball twice as he fell.

“I thought he was going to take it again to be perfectly honest. It’s a double-touch apparently and that’s what he’s given,” added the manager.

“He actually kicked it twice. It wasn’t as soft as some of the penalties given against us this year.”