Arsenal win to keep West Brom waiting

Olivier Giroud's first half header gave Arsenal a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion in a largely uneventful end-of-season stroll in the sun at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

With Arsenal assured of a top-four finish in the Premier League and securing Champions League football for the 17th successive time they lacked some urgency against a West Brom side still not completely safe from relegation.

Giroud headed home from a 14th minute corner to secure the points for Arsenal, who play at Norwich City in their final league match next Sunday before meeting Hull City in the FA Cup final on May 17.

The nearest Arsenal came to a second goal was when Lukas Podolski hit the post in the second half.

Giroud told Sky Sports: "We wanted to finish well in front of our public. It has been a great season playing for the title until March. We are pleased to finish fourth.

"We feel relieved because we had to fight until the end of the season."

Giroud took his tally to 22 goals for the season including 16 in the league and added: "It's always nice for the statistics. I did well and tried to win my duel and it is always nice to see it in the net."

Looking ahead to their Wembley date, he said: "We have a really exciting final game ahead so we have to keep our focus."

Arsenal have 76 points from 37 games with Chelsea above them on 78 and Liverpool and Manchester City on 80 points with two games remaining.

Defeat left 16th-placed West Brom hoping that Chelsea beat Norwich later to guarantee their survival although they still have two matches left to play.

West Brom are one of five clubs not mathematically safe from relegation at least until the Chelsea-Norwich match ends and coach Pepe Mel told the BBC: "We still need an extra point and we have two matches to get it."

Cardiff City and Fulham were relegated on Saturday with Norwich favourites to join them in the Championship next season.