Stoke City add to Arsene Wenger's misery with a 3-1 win over http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429
Arsenal traveled to Stoke-on-Trent high on confidence, having beaten Mancehster United in their last outing to blow open the Premier League title
race. However, they were hampered by injuries as Cesc Fabregas, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Samir-Nasri-c32360, all were ruled out of the game due to varying niggles.
But the injuries counted more than the confidence could as Stoke City steam rolled their opponents on the night to pile
on the misery on Arsene Wenger’s men.
It was not the same side by any stretch of imagination that beat Manchester United just 7 days earlier as Arsenal looked
terribly out of sorts against a spirited Stoke City side. The home side raced onto a 2-0 half-time lead with goals from Kenwyne Jones and a deflected http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jermaine-Pennant-c18364 strike.
Arsenal’s frailties from the set pieces were exposed once again as the Potters opened the scoring from a free kick that
was needlessly conceded by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kenwyne-Jones-c20659 had little idea about the ball as the free kick bounced off his chest into the back of the goal but the home side didn’t care
as they were one nil up.
On the 28th minute mark, a marauding run by Jermaine Pennant was duly rewarded when his stinging shot from outside the
box looped over the goalkeeper to put Stoke City two nil up. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 man made sure
Arsenal paid for the grave error.
In the second half, with just 10 minutes left to play, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Robin-van-Persie-c31380 reduced the arrears with a solo effort and a goal
from his chocolate right foot. The North London celebrations were cut short however, as within minutes of the Gunners strike, Stoke scored again through Walters to kill off any hopes of an Arsenal come back.
With the defeat, Arsenal have all but lost hopes of finishing even second in the Premier League and will now have to be
content with a third place finish. Meanwhile, Stoke may still have a chance to make it into Europe if some results go their way, but they will surely be playing in Europe next season if they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 14.
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