Arsenal FC host Stoke City tomorrow in their third home game of the season. The Gunners are without a win at home this season, having lost a game and drawn the other.
The North London outfit will be looking to register their eighth successive win over Stoke City at the Emirates.
The Potters are without a win this season, having lost two and drawn two of the matches, and will be looking to get the first win under their belt.
Here we dissect the last three games between the two sides at the Emirates, ahead of tomorrow’s clash.
Arsenal 3-0 Stoke City a 11th Jan 2015
Arsenal FC hosted Stoke City having lost the New Yeara s Day clash against Southampton. The Gunners put together a clinical performance with Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez coming out as the star of the show.
Alexis Sanchez set up Laurent Koscielny for the first before scoring twice as Mark Hughes’ side had no answers to the Gunners’ onslaught. David Ospina, who was handed his first top flight start by manager Arsene Wenger had little to do. Wojciech Szczesny was dropped to the bench after reports surfaced of him smoking in the shower following the defeat at the hands of the Saints.
The Gunners threatened from the start with Sanchez and Tomas Rosicky both testing the resolute Asmir Begovic. The Potters cleared an initial effort by Sanchez, however, he then put in an inch-perfect cross for Laurent Koscielny, to head home with just six minutes on the clock.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina stopper had no respite as he was then forced to save an effort from Olivier Giroud. Sanchez then doubled the Gunners’ lead just after the half hour mark, the Chilean cut in from the left wing in his trademark fashion, before exchanging a quick one-two with Tomas Rosicky and beat Begovic at his near post.
Alexis started the second half in the same blistering fashion, scoring Arsenal FCa s third within the first five minutes. The Chilean took a low free-kick from the edge of the box, which squirmed underneath the Stoke defence and Begovic could not keep it out. However, the Bosnian keeper was at fault for this goal as he should have done better to keep the free-kick out.
Alexis came close to completing his first hat-trick for the Gunners when he hit an audacious 40 yard lob which had Begovic scrambling, but the shot-stopper kept it out in the end.
The win helped Arsenal FC close the gap on the Premier Leaguea s top four as they eventually went on to finish third in the league.
Arsenal 3-1 Stoke City a 22nd Sept 2013
If the last encounter between Arsenal FC and Stoke City at the Emirates was highlighted by Alexis Sancheza masterclass, the one before that saw Mesut Ozila s brilliance in full flow. The German assisted all three goals as the Gunners comfortably beat the Potters 3-1.
The pre-match build up concentrated on the homecoming of record signing Mesut Ozil, who was signed from Real Madrid on deadline day for a club record of 42.5 million. The Emirates crowd had waited in anticipation for the home debut of Ozil and it was a debut to remember for all.
The German played a part in all three goals and the Gunners opened the scoring within the first five minutes, when an Ozil free-kick was parried away by Asmir Begovic only to fall in the path of the onrushing Aaron Ramsey as he bundled home.
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The Potters pulled one back in the 26th minute, when Geoff Cameron scored from outside the box after some neat work by Steve Nzonzi and Marko Arnautovic. Nzonzi sent a clever towards the far post, which was side-footed against the post by Arnautovic, before Cameron lashed the rebound home.
A Mesut Ozil corner was headed in by Per Mertesacker in the 36th minute to restore the Gunnersa lead. The German defender rose the highest to head home past a scrambling Begovic, who despite his best efforts could not keep the header out.
Olivier Giroud troubled the Bosnian in the second half, forcing a sharp save from the keeper before curling an effort over. Marc Wilson looked to pull one back for the Potters around the half hour mark, but Wojciech Szczesny was equal to it.
Bacary Sagna then looped a header over Begovic in the 72nd minute to score the Gunnersa third and help put the result beyond doubt. The Frenchman got on the end of a Mesut Ozil free-kick and aimed his header towards the far corner.
The record-signing was withdrawn to a standing ovation as he helped the Gunners reach the summit of the Premier League for the time being. However, a slump in form in the second half of the season saw Arsenal FC finish the league in the fourth position.
Arsenal 1-0 Stoke City a 02nd Feb 2013
While the last two encounters between The Gunners and The Potters were dominated by individual brilliance, the third of these was a more even contest, as Arsenal FC edged past Stoke to win 1-0.
Lukas Podolskia s deflected free-kick in the 78th minute helped the North London outfit get all the three points, with Asmir Begovic putting in a solid performance in between the sticks.
The Gunners dominated possession in the first half, but were unable to break a resilient Stoke defence. Whatever the Emirates outfit had to offer, Begovic was equal to it. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was twice denied by the Bosnian, while he also kept out a Laurent Koscielny header.
Peter Crouch played threateningly for the away side latching on to some long balls, but he could not find a way past Wojciech Szczezny.
The second half saw a similar performance from both the sides, as a desperate Arsenal FC were unable to penetrate the Stoke City defence.
However, in the 78th minute Lukas Podolskia s free-kick deflected off Geoff Cameron and nestled into the net. There were some suspicions of it having fallen offside, but the goal was allowed to stand. Santi Cazorla then saw an effort tipped over by Begovic, but that was it.
The Gunners got the three points and closed in on a Champions League place; they eventually finished the season placed 4th.
