Arséne Wenger's men came into the game with the knowledge that a top four position was already confirmed weeks in advance, and unless a miracle went against them elsewhere today, the Gunners would qualify for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League next season; without having to worry about a pre-season play-off fixture.

The hosts got off to the best possible start after just four minutes, after Theo Walcott broke the deadlock with a powerful strike which rifled past Boaz Myhill into the top corner of the net within a flash, after the English forward got himself into an attacking position inside the area, but looked as though he was set to pass the ball across the box towards a team-mate. Instead he opted to strike, and scored a fantastic goal to give Arsenal a one-nil lead.

Alexis Sanchez saw a free-kick effort, 25 yards out, curl just over the crossbar a few minutes later, as the Chilean's shot was swerving goalwards but narrowly slipped over Myhill's goal and into the stands behind the goal. Myhill was soon called into action, making a smart stop to deny Alexis from close range, after the 26-year-old was set through with a one-on-one opportunity by creative midfielder Mesut Ozil.

Saido Berahino had a half-chance of his own a few minutes later to equalise, but his eventual shot towards David Ospina's goal did not trouble the Colombian 'keeper in truth. Then, Wenger's men scored two goals in quick succession. First, Theo completed his brace, after a neatly-worked piece of build-up play in and around the West Brom box, with Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla at the heart of things in midfield. He pounced on the loose ball and curled a low strike into the bottom corner of the net, before running over to celebrate his well-taken finish with Shad Forsythe, the German physio that has helped him during his recent injury setbacks.

Then, a moment of sheer quality was next. Wilshere made it three just a few minutes after Walcott's second, after being teed up with a lofted ball on the edge of the area, the 23-year-old midfielder struck the ball and it swerved into the top corner of the net in some style. Jack went over to celebrate with his team-mates on the far side, after a sublime finish, prompting those on the Arsenal substitutes' bench to give him a warm standing ovation after a beautiful-weighted strike.

Arsenal did not stop there, with Walcott completing his first-half hat-trick before the half-time interval, after 37 minutes on the clock. Cazorla's fizzing ball into the box evaded the despairing dive of Myill, with Theo pouncing on the loose ball just a few yards away from the goal itself, he could not miss.

At half-time, the Gunners were ahead and flying with a rather comfortable four-goal scoreline, but it was important to note that they could not afford much complacency, as they've shown in the past, they have lost from winning positions before.

In the second-half, it would be fair to say that things dried up, at least in the goal-scoring department. West Brom pulled a goal back in the 57th minute, courtesy of defender Gareth McAuley's header from a corner-kick, but it proved to only be a consolation, as the hosts continued to dominate, but had no more goals to show for their dominance. Aaron Ramsey hit both the post and the crossbar in quick succession, whilst Alexis and Ozil came close to getting their names on the scoresheet too.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Olivier Giroud made cameo appearances with time ticking down; however in the end, the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the action from the Emirates, with the home supporters going back happy after a rather one-sided victory, where they could have easily picked up a few more goals in truth.

Player Ratings:

Arsenal (4) West Brom (1)
Ospina 6 Myhill 7.5
Bellerín 7 Dawson 6.5
Mertesacker 6.5 Lescott 6
Gabriel 8 McAuley 7
Gibbs 7 Olsson 5
Coquelin 6.5 Yacob 6
Cazorla 8 Fletcher 6.5
Wilshere 8 Morrison 6
Ozil 8 McManaman 6
Alexis 7 Brunt 7
Walcott - MOTM 10 Berahino 6.5
Substitutes:
Ramsey 7 Baird 6
Oxlade-Chamberlain 6 Gardner 7
Giroud - Anichebe 6.5