Walcott gets into the area and lifts a shot wide of the post, but it was given as offside anyhow. Arsenal are getting incredibly close now, but that opening goal just isn't coming.
90' +3
Arsenal denied by the offside flag! Oxlade-Chamberlain dances past Friend, before drilling a low cross towards Ozil, but the Germany international is caught the wrong side of the Boro back four. He flicks home a finish, but it won't count!
90' +2
C. Stuani enters the game and replaces Álvaro Negredo.
Negredo is withdrawn, with the Spaniard replaced by Stuani for the dying embers of the game.
90' +1
There are five minutes of stoppage time at the Emirates.
90'
Negredo tries to get in behind, after some lovely interplay from Boro down the right, but the former Man City striker is penalised for pulling on Monreal's shirt. Suddenly, the away side have had a burst of energy from somewhere.
89'
Alexis finds Monreal down the left-hand side, but Barragan and Traore combine to force Arsenal backwards. Lucas Perez is the target of a cross, but Ayala half-clears, before another ball into the visiting area is mopped up by Friend. Boro respond with a counter, as Traore hares upfield, but Koscielny eventually makes a last-ditch tackle within his own box to deny Negredo.
87'
De Roon releases Traore down the right, with the Spaniard able to pick out Downing at the back post. The substitute tees up Forshaw on the edge of the area, but the English midfielder drags a rushed shot terribly wide of the target. That is criminally wasteful and his coach won't be pleased.
85'
S. Downing enters the game and replaces G. Ramírez.
Ramirez takes his time to jog off, with the former Hull midfielder replaced by Downing for the dying minutes.
84'
Walcott is picked out at the back post, but the England international can only nod Ozil's delivery into Valdes' grasp. Alexis can't get there first, and kicks the near post in frustration. Arsenal continue to stream forward in search of a winner, with Boro desperately holding on.
83'
Anywhere will do for Boro, as Barragan lashes a rushed clearance straight out for a throw-in on the far side. Despite Arsenal having a Champions League game during the week, it is the away side who look tired. Walcott tries to clip a finish over Valdes, after receiving possession around 15 yards out, but Valdes jumps to catch once again.
Minute
Description
81'
Barragan whips in a cross from the right-hand side, but Negredo is unable to head goalwards. Walcott picks up the loose ball and starts a quick break, which sees Oxlade-Chamberlain picked out overlapping down the right. The substitutes ships in a cross, but Gibson heads clear, before a second clipped ball into the Boro box is caught ahead of Alexis by Valdes.
79'
Bellerin clips a cross in from the right, but Valdes is alert to the danger and claims easily. The ex-Barca goalkeeper is really enjoying this second half, he seems to have a grin on his face whenever he gets in possession. Ayala goes down with an injury, but is quickly back to his feet, with Arsenal fans calling for timewasting.
78'
Arsenal are patiently searching for an opening here. Walcott is picked out at the right byline by a clipped pass on the half-turn by Alexis. With Ozil square, asking for a cross to be hooked back across goal, the ex-Saints wide man is unable to pluck the pass out of the air! Not long remains to earn themselves three points.
76'
Arsenal are dominating possession and Boro look very tired indeed. The hosts are camped deep in opposition territory, with their full-backs pushing right on. Boro, however, are able to break. Traore tries to find Ramirez out on the left, but Mustafi steps out well to frustrate the Uruguayan.
74'
A. Oxlade-Chamberlain enters the game and replaces Mohamed Elneny.
Elneny is withdrawn, with Oxlade-Chamberlain hoping to make a match-winning impact.
73'
Coquelin and Lucas Perez combine, with the latter unable to find Ozil with a low pass. Ramirez wins possession back for Boro, who leads a break quickly, but Forshaw is denied well. Arsenal race up the other end in response, with a poor clearance from Valdes resulting in a Walcott shot. The Englishman's tame attempt is gathered up well by the Spanish goalkeeper.
71'
Walcott bends in a cross from the right, but Gibson and Forshaw combine to clear the danger, with Alexis lurking. Boro are sitting extremely deep now, with Karanka's instructions seemingly to pack their own defensive third with bodies and restrict space in between the lines. Monreal sees another cross blocked by Barragan.
69'
Monreal gets to the left byline, but Barragan comes across to rattle the ball of his opponent and behind for a goal-kick. The home fans are growing a little bit restless, with Valdes booed and whistled for taking his time over a goal-kick.
67'
Lucas Pérez enters the game and replaces A. Iwobi.
Huge chance for Arsenal! Alexis is fed through on goal by Walcott brilliantly, but the Chile international can only shoot straight at Valdes from 10 yards out. Wasteful from the hosts!
Iwobi is withdrawn for the home side, with Lucas Perez introduced for the final 20 minutes or so.
66'
Ramirez bends a free-kick in from the left, but Arsenal half-clear, before a second delivery from De Roon is nodded to safety. Ozil starts a break for the Gunners, with play eventually opened out to the left, but an Iwobi cross is desperately cleared by Gibson after a poor Alexis touch.
64'
S. Mustafi gets yellow.
Wenger will probably be looking to his bench by now, given that the current players on the field aren't providing the cutting edge required to break down this tough Boro resistance. A couple of substitutes are being readied for the hosts, who need a little bit of something else. Bizarrely, Barragan is penalised for a foul throw.
Boro break upfield, after Mustafi gives away a cheap ball, with the German defender forces to haul down Ramirez after losing his footing. A deserved card.
61'
Ayala is forced to make a great clearance, as Boro continue to defend well with their backs to the wall. Boro counter, but it peters out, with the away side now only half an hour away from a fantastic result. Elneny opens play out to the right, finding Walcott, but the away team have so many men behind the ball that nobody can wriggle into space to create chances.
59'
Traore drives forward at pace and races beyond Coquelin with ease. The Spaniard gets into the box and shoots across goal, but Cech gets down and parries the ball to safety. That is another vital stop from the Czech goalkeeper. The resulting corner is flicked away from the danger one - but that is another warning sign for the hosts.
57'
Barragan drives down the right-hand side, before cutting a cross back into the box, but Bellerin slides in to ensure that there is no chance of Negredo getting to the delivery first. He concedes a corner in the process, but it comes to nothing due to a push by Gibson being penalised.
55'
Valdes makes a good stop! Alexis unleashes a good effort from around 25 yards out, with a sizzling drive looking to make its way into the bottom-right corner. The Spanish goalkeeper, however, dives low to get a strong wrist to the ball - but appears to have hurt himself in the process.
53'
Wide from Alexis! The ex-Barcelona forward tries his luck from 25 yards out, bending a free-kick towards the near post. Valdes has his angles covered, however, and watches the ball head behind for a goal-kick.
52'
Important interception from Gibson! Iwobi is picked out by a cut-back cross from the right byline, but the English defender gets there first to put an important foot in to deny the Arsenal wide man. The hosts keep their pressure on, with Forshaw penalised for clipping Ozil's heels on the edge of the Boro box.
50'
Close for Ozil! Coquelin lifts a great pass over the top that looks for the former Schalke midfielder, but Valdes is quick off his line to mop up for his defence. Arsenal have started the second half in the right fashion, as they are pressing forward and looking to make up for a poor end to the opening 45 minutes.
48'
Ozil and Walcott combine, but the latter takes a poor touch. Play is halted quickly, however, as play is pulled back for a foul on Alexis. The Chilean forward was caught in the face by a stray arm by Ayala, with Ozil able to bend a delivery in. Valdes flaps at the ball, dropping it to Alexis, but a cross angled to the back post is somehow missed by Koscielny!
46'
We are back underway in the second half at the Emirates! Boro will be hoping that their wastefulness in the first half won't cost them a share of the spoils, but Arsenal should be out looking for blood.
45'
There is one minute of stoppage time.
44'
Iwobi is found making a run down the left-hand side, with the Nigeria international feeding Alexis. Walcott is picked out on the right, before drilling a low cross into the six-yard box, but the Chile international can't slide in to poke home a close-range finish.
42'
A long ball from Gibson looks for Negredo, but the centre-back's pass is terrible and heads straight through to Cech. Whenever Boro have gone through Traore, they have looked dangerous, but a lonely Negredo has struggled to have too much of an impact up top otherwise.
40'
Monreal cuts a pass back to Coquelin, who feeds Alexis, but the former Udinese man is robbed of the ball. With around five minutes left in the first half, Arsenal are back dictating play, but Boro are congesting the edge of their box well. Barragan is forced to hook another desperate and hurried clearance away.
38'
Mustafi is back on the field and moving nervously, but appears to be okay to continue. Walcott and Bellerin combine down the right, with Barragan willing to nod the ball behind for yet another Arsenal corner. Elneny bends in the dead-ball, but Negredo and Ayala both contribute to getting the ball clear.
36'
There is a break in play, as Mustafi goes down injured off the ball. The ex-Sampdoria defender appears to be in some discomfort, with Cech immediately calling on the physios. The Germany international landed very awkwardly indeed after challenging for a header, and he looks in some pain.
34'
Negredo manages to flick a header on for Adama, with a cross from the Spaniard being whipped in excellently. Negredo and Koscielny get a touch, before Ramirez sees a firm header brilliantly saved by Cech at the back post! The resulting corner causes some problems too, as the away side continue to have the better chances of this first half.
32'
Adama uses his pace to get in behind yet again for Boro, but Cech is quick off his line to lift a controlled clearance out to Bellerin. Moments later, Coquelin manages to win another free-kick, this time from Clayton, which Ozil bends in. The Germany international picks out Koscielny, but the French defender is caught offside.
30'
Barragan tries to deliver a cross from the right, but it fails to pick out Negredo in the middle of the park. Arsenal counter, with Walcott getting around Gibson brilliantly, but a through-ball from the Englishman that aims for Alexis is far too heavy.
28'
Ramirez manages to get the wrong side of Bellerin, earning a free-kick out on the left-hand side. The Uruguayan takes the set-piece himself, but Bellerin makes a timely block with his head. A shot on the rebound is then charged down well by Koscielny. Boro are growing into this a little.
26'
Elneny releases Walcott down the right yet again, but a tame cross from the England international is easily dealt with by Gibson. Arsenal attack down the left flank moments later, but Traore tracks back well to deny the Spaniard an opportunity to whip in a delivery.
24'
Coquelin wins a free-kick on the edge of the visiting box, following a scrappy tackle from Forshaw. Ozil lines it up, but Alexis takes instead, with his right-footed curler forcing Valdes to parry the ball wide of the left-hand post! The resulting corner is met by Mustafi, but his tame header is lashed away by Clayton.
22'
Adama Traore manages to get in behind Monreal once again, but Cech is very quick off his line to smother ahead of the former Barcelona youngster. Arsenal need some possession to calm things down again, as out of nowhere the visitors have missed two excellent opportunities.
21'
Close for Ramirez! Boro win themselves a free-kick on the left flank, which is wickedly curled towards the top-left corner by the Uruguayan. His effort cracks off the angle of post and bar, with the rebound wasted by Negredo! Arsenal suddenly might be a little more nervous.
19'
Elneny bends a cross towards the back post, but Alexis can't rise high enough to steer a header towards goal. Boro break upfield after a long ball by Ayala, with Negredo able to flick the ball into Adama Traore's path. The Spanaird races into the clear, forcing Cech into a good save, before a rebound from Negredo is palmed to safety by the ex-Chelsea shot-stopper.
17'
Monreal bends a cross in from the left, but Barragan makes a timely block. Arsenal maintain their pressure, winning a corner on the left-hand side but Ozil's delivery is hooked away from the danger zone. Half-chances continue to fall the Gunners' way.
15'
Walcott cuts back a cross from the right, which Ozil manages to control. The German midfielder gets the right side of his man, before going down, but Mike Dean believes that there wasn't enough in the push from the Boro defender.
13'
Walcott is released down the right-hand side by Bellerin, but Friend tracks back to ensure that the ex-Southampton man can't keep the ball in at the byline. Finally, Boro manage to push upfield, but they are promptly forced to play backwards.
11'
Wenger's men are stroking possession around at ease, totally dictating the tempo of this match. A long ball finds Walcott in behind, but a cross from the right byline is nodded away by Ayala. The Spaniard's clearance can only find the boot of Elneny, who lashes narrowly wide of the near upright from the rebound.
9'
Ozil tries his luck with a free-kick from the right-hand side, but bends a curling effort over the crossbar from 20 yards. All of the early half-chances have fallen Arsenal's way, with Boro unable to string together more than three or four passes.
7'
Boro can't break out of their own half at the moment, with Negredo looking very isolated up top. Arsenal are already looking confident, with clearances already being hoofed upfield desperately by the away outfit.
5'
Iwobi tries to slot a through-ball in behind for Alexis to chase, but Ayala mops up neatly. Wenger will be pleased that his side are immediately trying to impose control on this contest. Bellerin and Monreal have been able to get forward at will. Alexis and Iwobi combine on the edge of the box, but Forshaw intercepts importantly.
3'
The home side taken control from the off, keeping the ball and stroking it around calmly. Bellerin is allowed to overlap down the right and earns a corner from Friend. This already looks like it has the potential to be a long afternoon for the visitors. The set-piece is easily cleared, however.
1'
We are underway in the first half at the Emirates! Arsenal are on a fantastic run, meaning that Boro are going to have to put in the perfect away performance if they are to take even a share of the spoils today.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Middlesbrough's tough trip to face Arsenal in the Premier League, with the hosts bound to be high on confidence due to their currently lengthy winning run. A Champions League mauling of Ludogorets kept the momentum going for Arsene Wenger's side, while Aitor Karanka's men have been struggling to pick up points all campaign.
Boro haven't picked up a win since their 2-1 triumph over Sunderland in August, with Karanka struggling to keep fans on side at the moment. The Gunners, meanwhile, have fired themselves to victory in nine of their last 10 outings in all competitions.
TEAM NEWS: Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny slot in at the base of midfield for the hosts, with Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott deployed in the wide areas. Mesut Ozil is in the number ten role, with Alexis Sanchez named up top rather than Lucas Perez. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain drops to the bench, with Petr Cech back in goal.
TEAM NEWS: Alvaro Negredo leads the line for the away side, with Adama Traore and Gaston Ramirez providing a threat from out wide. Marten de Roon will anchor the midfield, with Adam Clayton and Adam Forshaw playing slightly ahead of him in a midfield three. There are no surprises in the back four.
Boro substitutes: Fabio, Espinosa, Guzan, Stuani, Downing, De Sart, Nugent.
HALF-TIME! Boro have given a fairly good account of themselves in the first half, with Cech forced into two excellent saves. Arsenal have had more of the ball and have created quite a few half-chances, but the visitors have managed to hold things together and keep Valdes' work to a minimum.
FULL-TIME! Arsenal and Boro share the spoils, courtesy of a 0-0 scoreline at the Emirates. Both goalkeepers needed to make some excellent saves, but the away side get a valuable point in their quest for survival. Wenger will be disappointed, but the away support are ecstatic! That's all that we have time for, we hope to see you again next time.
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