LONDON: Arsenal were denied victory on their manager Arsene Wenger's big day as West Bromwich Albion snatched a dramatic late point in a 1-1 Premier League draw on Sunday.
In Wenger's record 811th game in charge, Alexis Sanchez's 83rd-minute free kick, deflected home by James McClean, seemed to have secured an Arsenal win.
But Calum Chambers was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area and Jay Rodriguez converted an 89th-minute spot-kick to help his side climb off the bottom of the table.
Sundays results
Crystal Palace 0-0 Manchester City
West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Arsenal
The Arsenal players were furious with the decision and Wenger was spoken to by referee Mike Dean.
Arsenal did climb above Tottenham Hotspur in the table, and head into the new year in fifth place, three points off the Champions League qualification positions. West Brom stayed in the relegation zone, in 19th place, and is without a victory since August.
Wenger overtook former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson's mark of 810 games in the Premier League. Ferguson also managed in England's top division for six years before the inaugural Premier League in 1992.
In an earlier match, Crystal Palace held Manchester City to a scoreless draw, ending City's 18-game winning streak.