Stoke City vs Arsenal as it happened: Gunners go to within one point of Champions League places
Follow all the action as it happened from the Bet365 Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal head to Stoke this weekend knowing that failure to win will destroy their top four hopes, which are hanging by a thread. Their record in this fixture is poor as the hosts have proven a bogey team to the Gunners, who have often struggled to deal with the home side’s physical approach. That said, Arsenal have not lost to Stoke since December 2014 and will be encouraged by their recent run of form, which includes just one loss (albeit to Tottenham) since April 10th.
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What time does it start?
Stoke City vs Arsenal kicks off at 5:30pm on Saturday 13th May.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports 1, with coverage beginning at 5pm. Highlights will be shown the same evening at 10:20pm on BBC2 and at 10:30pm on Sky Sports 1.
It’s a big game for…
Alexis Sanchez. He scored Arsenal’s first goal against Southampton in midweek with a great effort, collecting Mesut Ozil’s through ball and faking to shoot and sending the defenders flying, before slotting past Fraser Forster. If Arsenal are to somehow claw their way into the Champions League places, Sanchez, with 25 goals and 14 assists this season, will have been at the heart of it, and he must continue his good scoring form against Stoke.
Best stat…
Arsenal have won just 1 of their last 8 games away at Stoke City. This is their second worst away win ratio, second only to their record of 3 wins in 25 games at Old Trafford.
Remember when…
Arsenal beat Stoke 1-3 at the Brittania Stadium in February 2010, which was the last time they won this fixture. The match was overshadowed by Ryan Shawcross’ horror tackle which broke Aaron Ramsey’s leg; the incident and its aftermath was the catalyst for the bad air which currently exists between the two teams.
Player to watch...
Ramadan Sobhi. If the talented Egyptian winger gets the opportunity which many Stoke fans so desperately crave that he will, he has the potential to get at Arsenal. He’s made 15 appearances for Stoke this season and particularly stood out in their draw with Manchester City in March. There are big hopes for the 20 year-old, who is still acclimatising to Premier League football, and Mark Hughes may consider bringing him in, at least from the bench, to freshen things up in his attack.
Past three meetings…
Arsenal 3-1 Stoke, Premier League, December 2016
Stoke City 0-0 Arsenal, Premier League, January 2016
Arsenal 2-0 Stoke City, Premier League, September 2015
Form guide…
Stoke City: LWLDD
Arsenal: WWLWW
Odds…
Stoke City to win: 37/10
Arsenal to win: 3/4
Draw: 14/5
(Odds courtesy of 888 sport)
GOAL! Stoke 1 Arsenal 2 - Peter Crouch
That deserved from Stoke's last five minutes or so, but it's a controversial goal, Peter Crouch leaps and punches in a goal for Stoke. Maradona esque.
Stoke 1 Arsenal 2: Where was this game for the last 70 minutes or so? Suddenly this match has come alive. All it took was the introduction of Peter Crouch.
GOAL! Stoke 1 Arsenal 3 - Alexis Sanchez
Game over again surely! Sanchez puts Arsenal two clear again, surging into the area and firing a low shot across the goal, it takes a tiny deflection wide of Butland and goes into the far corner of the net.
Stoke 1 Arsenal 3: Great chance immediately for Ramsey but he dithers a little and eventually his shot is a bit tame and saved by Butland.
GOAL! Stoke 1 Arsenal 4 - Olivier Giroud
That really is it. Great work by the substitute Ramsey, scrapping with Johnson and then cutting back for Giroud who slides in to poke home his second of the day.
Stoke 1 Arsenal 4: Ten minutes remaining in this game which suddenly got quite interesting and then was put to bed very efficiently by Arsenal. They're breathing down Liverpool's necks now.
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