Arsenal give Wenger a lift with Stoke win

A bad week for Arsene Wenger ended on a high on Saturday, as Arsenal earned a 2-0 Premier League win over Stoke City.

Andrey Arshavin’s first-half goal and a late second from Aaron Ramsey proved enough to end the north Londoners’ run of three straight defeats and brought some belated cheer to Wenger.

The Frenchman had come under fire from fans and pundits alike after heavy losses to Chelsea and Manchester City, while his refusal to shake Mark Hughes’s hand after Wednesday’s League Cup quarter-final defeat to City had seen the criticism turn aggressively personal.

Three points here, which lifted Arsenal back into the top three, will at least buy Gunners manager Wenger some breathing space, although the victory should have been more emphatic.

Cesc Fabregas missed an early penalty and Arsenal twice hit the woodwork but, despite some second-half nerves, Stoke’s timidity in attack ensured there was no upset.

This was the day for Arsenal’s players to repay some of their manager’s faith – to remind the sceptics that, while pride might have been bruised, it had not crumpled entirely. In that respect, they succeeded.

Shrugging off the absence of the injured Robin van Persie, Eduardo and Nicklas Bendtner, Arsenal made a lightning fast start which could have seen them three goals up in the first 20 minutes.

An early chance for Arshavin, fashioned by some slick inter-play between Tomas Rosicky and Fabregas, was smothered by visiting goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, who then blocked Samir Nasri’s drive at his near post.

The Dane might have sensed he would be in for a busy afternoon so he could have done without Rory Delap conceding a brainless penalty for a foul on Arshavin in the 20th minute.

The Russian was isolated on the edge of the area when the Irish midfielder clipped his heels, leaving referee Mark Clattenburg with the simplest of decisions.

Fabregas, assuming spot-kick duties in the absence of van Persie, struck his shot firmly enough but it was at a comfortable height for Sorensen, who saved smartly to his left.

Wenger, who had used his programme notes to bemoan how his team “cannot take advantage of dangerous situations”, must have feared his words had fallen on deaf ears but, within seven minutes, any annoyance had evaporated.

Fabregas, doubtless anxious to atone for his error, teed up Arshavin on the left side of the area and, after Stoke?s defenders inexplicably backed off, the 28-year-old was able to place his shot into the bottom corner.

Moments later, the game should have been killed off for good. A surging run and fizzing low cross from Armand Traore was deflected onto his own post by Abdoulaye Faye, with Fabregas meeting the rebound on the half-volley.

The ball was scudding towards the net until it struck Emmanuel Eboue, the Arsenal midfielder, and deflected wide.

The second half was a more sedate affair.

Arshavin came close with a low shot that drew another impressive save from Sorensen, while Faye again struck his own woodwork as he deflected the former Zenit St Petersburg forward’s shot onto the crossbar.

That provoked some nervous grumbling among the home supporters but their misgivings were misplaced.

With 10 minutes left, Ramsey, on as a substitute, advanced to the edge of Stoke’s area and planted a sweet shot into the bottom corner with the outside of his right foot.

Wenger, and Arsenal, could breathe again.