Arsenal boosted their hopes of clinching a top four spot, after they thumped Stoke City 4-1 at the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday evening.
It was the Gunners who applied the early pressure and it finally paid off when Nacho Monreal latched on to a Hector Bellerin cross but saw his effort agonisingly crash against the post.
The Gunners were creating all the chances against a physical Stoke City team that was struggling to retain possession.
It was the Gunners who drew first blood when Olivier Giroud scored from close range after a cross from the right flank to give his side a 1 – 0 lead which they held on to until half time.
Arsenal looked to pick up where they left off in the second half and they did just that as they were first to score in the second half as well.
Wenger’s men finished off a well-worked move after a series of great passing saw Mesut Ozil extend his team’s lead to 2 – 0.
The Potters found it difficult to create any chances but got one through a headed effort from Martins Indi which Petr Cech tipped over the bar.
Stoke seemed to be finding some momentum which led to their goal. Marko Arnautovic put in a cross from the wing and found target man Peter Crouch who headed home past Cech to narrow the score to 2 – 1.
The Gunner regained their two-goal lead ten minutes later through Alexis Sanchez whose shot was deflected and found its way past Butland in the Stoke goal.
Not long after, Giroud completed his brace with yet another tap in, this time from Ramsey’s cross. 4 – 1 was how it ended and Arsenal helped themselves to within one point of fourth-placed Liverpool. – AfricaSports24.
