Stoke City 2-1 Arsenal
QUITE SIMPLY an incredible day to be a Stoke City fan, as the Potters were deserved winners against an Arsenal side who looked anything but a top four outfit, after they became to latest team to fall by the sword that is Rory Delap's long throw.
Stoke made one change to the side that beat Sunderland 1-0 in mid-week with Amdy Faye coming in to replace the rested Tom Soares, with Seyi Olofinjana moving out onto the right side of midfield. Arsene Wenger meanwhile left star players Theo Walcott and Robin Van Persie on the bench and introduced the more physical presence of Nicolas Bendtner, Abou Diaby and Alexandre Song to the side.
The Potters started the brighter and immediatly asserted their authority on their opponents by closing them down quick enough to prevent being opened up by Arsenal's free-flowing brand of football.
On 12 minutes Ricardo Fuller forced Gael Clichy into putting the ball out for a throw, in Rory Delap teritory. The Arsenal defence knew what was coming but were slow to react allowing Fuller to nip in ahead of Kolo Toure and nod past a stranded Manuel Almunia to send the Britannia into raptures. Stoke fans could be forgiven for pinching themselves as the scoreboard read Stoke City 1-0 Arsenal.
It almost got even better moments later when a bout of penalty box pin ball lead to Delap looping a header towards goal only to see the retreating Clichy turn the ball away from goal and out for a corner. The Potters had the Gunners well and truely on the ropes.
Arsenal tried to respond but for all their speed and accuracy of passing they couldnt get behind a solid Stoke defence and were reduced to long range efferts that failed to trouble Thomas Sorensen. The closest they came to an equaliser before half-time was a snap shot from the edge of the box by Emmanuel Adebayor that was comfortably saved by Sorensen.
Following the interval the Gunners came out fired up and were almost level when Toure turned a flat near post Cesc Fabregas corner just over the bar. This was a let off for Stoke, and introduction of Theo Walcott would yet further test what had been a rock solid defence. But it was Stoke who were soon on the offensive when another Delap throw was scrambled away as far as Salif Diao who's volley from the edge of the box was well saved by Almunia.
But Stoke were not to be denied when yet another Delap launch was flicked on by Ryan Shawcross and bundled over the line by a falling Olofinjana, in front of a delirious Boothen End, as the Potters closed in on a momentous victory and yet another crucial three points in the fight for Premier League survival.
The afternoon soon got even better for Stoke and even worse for their stunned visitors when referee Rob Styles made up some what for his past discrepancies when he sent off substitute Van Persie for a needless barge on Sorensen as the Dane ran down the clock in his area.
As the game moved into injury time Arsenal ensured a nervy finish when a double deflected stike from Clichy found the bottom corner from the edge of the area, following a short Fabregas free kick.
But it was Stoke who held out for a fabulous victory over our old enemy to move further away from the drop zone and once again prove the doubters wrong that we can not only compete, but also win against the bigger teams in the Premier League. The Potters are certainly showing at the momment that they are here to stay.
Man of the Match - Mamady Sidibe - Yet another outstanding performance from big Mama. Imposed himself and quite frankly dominated Silvestre and Toure at times and as ever produced fantastic link up play with Fuller.
Attendance - 26,704
Stoke City:- Sorensen, Griffin, Abdoulaye Faye, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Olofinjana, Diao (Whelan,78), Amdy Faye, Delap, Sidibe (Kitson,90), Fuller (Cresswell,86)
Arsenal:- Almunia, Sagna (Walcott,57), Toure, Silvestre, Clichy, Denilson (Van Persie,65), Fabregas, Song, Diaby, Bendtner, Adebayor (Vela,72)
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