Olivier Giroud admitted after scoring the winner for Arsenal against West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day that he would have found it difficult to believe at the beginning of the 2016-17 season that he would not make his first Premier League start of the campaign until December 26.

Until Monday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had started Alexis Sanchez in the central striking role in league matches, despite regular reminders from Giroud of his qualities in games such as the 4-1 win at Sunderland, when he came off the bench with the score at 1-1 to net twice, and the 1-1 draw away to Manchester United, when he equalised a minute from time.

But after two morale-sapping away defeats at Everton and Manchester City, it was to Giroud that Wenger turned to overcome the unique challenge posed by West Brom and their ultra-defensive approach – not to mention his usefulness in the air when defending the Baggies' set plays.

And after 86 minutes Wenger's tactical switch paid off as Giroud beat Albion defender Gareth McAuley to Mezut Ozil's 86th-minute cross and looped a header beyond goalkeeper Ben Foster. Including Champions League matches against Ludogorets and Paris St Germain, that was the France striker's third goal in as many starts.

It would be logical if Wenger decided to keep Giroud in the line-up at home to Crystal Palace on New Year's Day, especially as their defence might prove more resolute now that Sam Allardyce is drilling it. But even if Giroud felt that his goal had made that same point to his manager, he would not say as much.

“I was speaking with the boss, we had a couple of discussions together and he explained to me why I hadn’t played too much until here,” Giroud said. “But football is an everlasting new beginning, as I used to say, and you always have to keep focused and wait for your time. [Against West Brom] I played, I tried to give everything for the team and hopefully things will change for me.

“But as long as the team is getting better I am happy and I am part of the club since five years and I want to carry on. But we have to see, I need more time of games but we will see in the future. The best thing is to keep within distance of Chelsea.”

Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Petr Cech - 7 out of 10 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Jay Rodriguez of West Bromwich Albion shoots past Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Laurent Koscielny - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal is faced by Hal Robson-Kanu and Kieran Gibbs of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Shkodran Mustafi - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Hal Robson-Kanu of West Bromwich Albion and Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Nacho Monreal - 8 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Nacho Monreal of Arsenal clears the ball from the goal line during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Hector Bellerin - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Tony Pulis, Manager of West Bromwich Albion shouts as Hector Bellerin of Arsenal take a throw in during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Mohamed Elneny - 6 West Bromwich Albion's English midfielder Gareth Barry (L) vies with Arsenal's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Granit Xhaka - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on September 17, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Sead Kolasinac - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Sead Kolasinac of Arsenal controls the ball during the UEFA Europa League group H match between Arsenal FC and 1. FC Koeln at Emirates Stadium on September 14, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Aaron Ramsey - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal is challenged by goalkeeper Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Alexis Sanchez - 8 Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez reacts during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Alexandre Lacazette - 9 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal heads past Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion as he scores their first goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Ben Foster - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal is challenged by goalkeeper Ben Foster of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Craig Dawson - 5 BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - JULY 26: Craig Dawson of West Bromwich Albion looks on during the pre season friendly match between Burton Albion and West Bromwich Albion at Pirelli Stadium on July 26, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Ahmed El-Sayed Hegazi - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal and Ahmed El-Sayed Hegazi of West Bromwich Albion chase the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Jonny Evans - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Nacho Monreal of Arsenal takes on Jonny Evans of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Allan Nyom - 5 BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - JULY 26: Allan Nyom of West Bromwich Albion looks on during the pre season friendly match between Burton Albion and West Bromwich Albion at Pirelli Stadium on July 26, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Jake Livermore - 6 West Bromwich Albion's English midfielder Jake Livermore (L) vies with Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Ian KINGTON / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Grzegorz Krychowiak - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Grzegorz Krychowiak of West Bromwich Albion is chased by Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Gareth Barry - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Gareth Barry of West Bromwich Albion is faced by Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. Gareth Barry is making a record 633rd Premier League appearance. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Kieran Gibbs - 7 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Kieran Gibbs of West Bromwich Albion beats Hector Bellerin of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Jay Rodriguez - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Jay Rodriguez of West Bromwich Albion shoots past Petr Cech of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images Arsenal vs West Brom player ratings Hal Robson-Kanu - 6 LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Hal Robson-Kanu of West Bromwich Albion and Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at Emirates Stadium on September 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images

And he was realistic about the path his season had followed. “I came back a bit late from the Euros and it was nice for my body because I could rest, but not good for me because the team was doing well and another striker [Sanchez] was doing well up front.

“This season has been difficult because also I was injured (toe) for a month and a half so it hasn't been easy. I don't want to talk too much about me but it was a big day for me, but a turning point for the team because if we didn't win we would have been in trouble.”