Arsenal 0-0 Middlesbrough: Gunners get away with draw against spirited Boro

Middlesbrough earned a fine point at Arsenal and could have come away with more after a 0-0 draw at the Emirates on Saturday.

Boro had the better of the chances in the first half as Gaston Ramirez twice went close, while Adama Traore was kept out by Petr Cech having gone through one-on-one.

Arsenal went closest through Alexis Sanchez in the first half as Victor Valdes twice kept him out, but the visitors could and perhaps should have come away with three points despite the Gunners' dominance on the ball.

The result means Arsenal remain unbeaten in eight Premier League games, while Middlesbrough move out of the relegation zone with their fourth draw in nine games this term.

Arsenal registered 72 per cent possession in the first half, but lacked a cutting edge as Middlesbrough hit the hosts on the counter-attack.

Boro should have been 1-0 up after 20 minutes as Traore robbed Laurent Koscielny following some sloppy defending, only for Cech to block his effort from close range as he ran through on goal.

Ramirez then hit the post with a free-kick from 20 yards, with Cech beaten all ends up, while at the other end Alexis Sanchez forced a save out of Victor Valdes with a similar set piece.

Ramirez had another fine chance to put Middlesbrough ahead later in the half, but his far post header from close range after fine play from Traore was kept out superbly by Cech.

Arsenal started the second-half brightest and went close within three minutes, Sanchez seeing his poked ball across the face of goal go inches over the head of Koscielny, who was placed in front of an open goal.

Sanchez then hit a free-kick inches wide of the left-hand post, before Valdes tipped wide the Chilean's fine 20-yard piledriver moments later.

Man-of-the-match Traore then forced Cech into another fingertip save after a pacey break into to the area, while at the other end, Sanchez's weak effort from a fine position on the right was collected by Valdes.

Boro could have won it at the death as Traore fed Negredo through on goal on the left of the area, but Koscielny's superb last-ditch tackle thwarted the Spaniard as he looked to move the ball onto his right foot.

Mesut Ozil had a late goal correctly ruled out for offside, and Boro came away more-than deserving of a point on an unhappy 67th birthday for Arsene Wenger.

Player ratings

Arsenal: Cech (7), Bellerin (6), Mustafi (5), Koscielny (6), Monreal (6), Coquelin (6), Elneny (6), Walcott (5), Ozil (5), Iwobi (5), Alexis (6)

Subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain (6), Perez (5)

Middlesbrough: Valdes (6), Barragan (6), Ayala (7), Gibson (7), Friend (7), De Roon (7), Clayton (7), Traore (8), Forshaw (7), Ramirez (7), Negredo (6)

Subs: Stuani (6), Downing (6)

Man of the match: Adama Traore