Match ends, Stoke City 3, Arsenal 2.
StokeStoke City3ArsenalArsenal2
- Stoke score three in first half
- Aaron Ramsey scores brilliant volley
- Calum Chambers sent off late on
- One win at Britannia in nine for Gunners
Stoke scored three first-half goals to again stun Arsenal who staged a brilliant yet unsuccessful fightback at the Britannia Stadium.
Peter Crouch slotted in after only 19 seconds, before Bojan sidefooted in the second and Jon Walters crashed in to make it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time.
Santi Cazorla scored from the spot and Aaron Ramsey volleyed in from a corner soon after to give the Gunners hope.
However, Calum Chambers was shown a second yellow late on as Stoke held on.
Mark Hughes' side deserved the victory for their early bravado, while Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will surely regard the opening 45 minutes as the worst he has seen from his team this season. And as good a comeback as it was, the statistics now read that it is now only one win in nine visits to the Staffordshire club.
Arsenal's first-half defensive display was as calamitous as those against Liverpool. and Chelsea last season.
It all started to go wrong after just 19 seconds when Steven N'Zonzi whipped in a cross from the right and found Crouch, who steadied himself before placing his shot past Martinez.
Olivier Giroud should have equalised with a header from four yards, and both he and his team were punished for the miss when ex-Barcelona player Bojan - one of the day's best performers - opened up his foot to convert Walters' cross.
The provider then capped off a great half for the Potters when he smashed in the third into the roof of the net from close range.
Wenger's team applied themselves far better after the break, bringing on Danny Welbeck to add more potency to the attack.
However, the visitors were lucky not go 4-0 down when Bojan cut inside before firing past Damian Martinez. The Spaniard and his team-mates ran off celebrating, but the goal was overruled as a result of Mame Biram Diouf being offside.
They capitalised on that bit of fortune when Cazorla converted from the spot after Mathieu Flamini had been clipped by Diouf.
Welbeck, who earlier had a shot deflected wide, then had a hand in the second. His fierce shot was tipped over, but led to the corner that Ramsey scored from. The Wales international showed great poise as he watched the ball before firing low into the corner.
Arsenal continued pressing to find that all-important equaliser, but their hopes of salvaging a point were rocked when Chambers was shown a second yellow for pulling back Bojan.
Five minutes of injury time were played, but Hughes' side survived for yet another memorable win over the Premier League giants.
Stoke manager Mark Hughes:
"We've been disappointed in recent weeks. That's why I was looking forward to this game because we weren't playing badly and we felt there were opportunities today to test Arsenal and that's what we did.
"We were encouraged by the early goal, obviously. You don't expect to score after 20 seconds.
"From that point onwards I thought our play was good, and it was an outstanding second goal by Bojan, who once again has put in a really impressive performance.
"Since he's come back into the side, he's arguably been our man of the match in every game."
Line-ups
Stoke
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Begovic
- 2Bardsley
- 17Shawcross
- 5MuniesaBooked at 44minsSubstituted forWhelanat 63'minutes
- 3Pieters
- 15N'Zonzi
- 20Cameron
- 19Walters
- 27BojanSubstituted forHuthat 87'minutes
- 18DioufSubstituted forAdamat 69'minutesBooked at 84mins
- 25CrouchBooked at 46mins
Substitutes
- 4Huth
- 6Whelan
- 7Ireland
- 16Adam
- 22Butland
- 24Assaidi
- 34Shenton
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26E Martínez
- 39BellerinSubstituted forWelbeckat 45'minutes
- 21ChambersBooked at 78mins
- 4Mertesacker
- 3GibbsBooked at 71minsSubstituted forCampbellat 90+2'minutes
- 20Flamini
- 16Ramsey
- 15Oxlade-ChamberlainBooked at 72mins
- 19Cazorla
- 17Sánchez
- 12GiroudSubstituted forPodolskiat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Szczesny
- 6Koscielny
- 9Podolski
- 23Welbeck
- 28Campbell
- 37Ajayi
- 70Maitland-Niles
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 27,367
Match Stats
Home TeamStokeAway TeamArsenal
- Possession
- Home42%
- Away58%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away6
- Corners
- Home3
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Stoke City 3, Arsenal 2.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Joel Campbell replaces Kieran Gibbs.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Erik Pieters.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Robert Huth replaces Bojan.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Erik Pieters.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Asmir Begovic.
Post update
Attempt saved. Santiago Cazorla (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Aaron Ramsey.
Booking
Charlie Adam (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Charlie Adam (Stoke City).
Post update
Attempt missed. Bojan (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Charlie Adam.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Calum Chambers (Arsenal) for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Calum Chambers (Arsenal).
Post update
Bojan (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Offside, Arsenal. Mathieu Flamini tries a through ball, but Alexis Sánchez is caught offside.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Erik Pieters.
Post update
Attempt saved. Lukas Podolski (Arsenal) header from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kieran Gibbs.
Booking
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal).
