Van Persie and Edu push West Brom closer to precipice

West Bromwich 0 - Arsenal

Given that the bottom of the Premiership has been more interesting that the top for several weeks now, defeat for West Bromwich Albion carried more significance than victory for Arsenal.

The gap between the deposed champions and Manchester United is back to four points but, in the compelling battle for survival, Southampton can be sure of being involved in the battle going into the season's penultimate weekend.

It was spirited Albion performance albeit a fruitless one after Robin van Persie struck his fourth goal in six games midway through the second half. Edu added a second in stoppage time

The fact Arsenal had conceded only one goal in 10 games yet still let in 20 more than Chelsea in the Premiership says as much about their own earlier generosity as it does about the long-term meanness of their success as champions of previous seasons.

And Bryan Robson's selection of the former Highbury man, Kevin Campbell, as a lone striker, with Zoltan Gera well forward on the left, hinted that he was quite content with the prospect of a tight game.

Albion nevertheless edged the initial exchanges which, from their point of view, were urgent and determined. Unfortunately, the high tempo their predicament demanded bordered on the frenetic.

Gera sent an optimistic, acrobatic volley well wide from beyond the far post before Kieran Richardson, the scorer of a spectacular free-kick against Blackburn Rovers six nights previously, hopelessly overhit another dead ball from a promising position to the right of Arsenal's area.

Buoyed by the confidence of taking a surprise point from Highbury early in Robson's reign, Albion had much of the play without seriously threatening.

Arsenal did not penetrate Albion's penalty area or muster any kind of goal attempt in that time. Then they emerged from their slumbers to raise the hopes of the watching Southampton, Crystal Palace and Norwich City folk.

Patrick Vieira curled a shot a couple of feet too high from 22 yards and Lauren threaded a pass behind the home defence at an angle for Van Persie to bring a fine block from the exposed Albion goalkeeper Russell Hoult.

Albion are nothing, though, if not game and Gera teed up Ronnie Wallwork for a shot that cleared the bar from the edge of the area at the end of a goalless first half.

Robson was looking to Gera to stretch the men keeping the fit-again Sol Campbell waiting for a recall. The Hungarian, almost certain to attract bids if Albion are relegated, challenged for Wallwork's high centre and, although he did not make contact, Paul Robinson followed up to hit Lauren with a shot.

Three successive corners confirmed this as Arsenal's most testing phase so far, Neil Clement meeting the second - taken by Jonathan Greening - and seeing a header bounce past the post off Gilberto Silva.

A vibrant crowd were sensing the possibility of Arsenal's first domestic defeat for three months, only for the tide to turn in a 66th minute counter-attack.

Vieira and Jose Antonio Reyes combined to set up Van Persie to sidestep Clement and score with a powerful, low left-foot shot from 16 yards. Reyes might quickly have secured three points when he skipped past Robinson and keeper Hoult before seeing his shot blocked on the line by Clement. Jens Lehmann was forced into his first save, a diving stop from Richardson's 25-yarder, before Albion sent on three strikers for the last 10 minutes.

West Bromwich Albion (5-4-1): Hoult; Albrechtsen (Earnshaw, 80), Moore, Gaardsoe, Clement, Robinson; Greening, Wallwork, Richardson, Gera (Kanu, 80); Campbell (Horsfield, 80). Substitutes not used: Kuszczak (gk), Scimeca.

Arsenal (4-4-2): Lehmann; Lauren, Touré, Senderos, Cole; Fabregas (Edu, 74), Gilberto SIlva, Vieira, Pires; Van Persie (Bergkamp, 74), Reyes. Substitutes not used: Almunia (gk), Campbell, Aliadière.

Referee: N Barry (Lincolnshire).