Stoke City v Arsenal

• Set this page to update automatically using the button below • Send your emails over to simon.burnton@guardian.co.uk • Check out the league standings with our live stats centre • You can even follow Simon on Twitter, if that’s your thing 6 min: Down the other end, where Wilshere pokes the ball through to Van Persie, who has to hurry his shot and sends it over the bar from eight yards, the best chance of these opening stages. 5 min: Jones releases Walters, who irritates Arsenal’s backline for a while before crossing into Koscielny’s shin from the right, the ball bobbling slowly to the keeper. 4 min: I should have also included an FA Cup final mentionometer, because that’s getting some serious attention. 2 min: Kenwyne Jones has a shot at the other end, though he’s falling over while he’s doing it and it flies out for a throw-in, and not particularly near the corner flag either. 1 min: Arshavin drages a shot wide of the near post from the left side of the penalty area, after good work from Wilshere down the left. 1 min: Peeeeeep! Aaron Ramsey takes the game’s first kick, and we’re off! 2.04pm: Mention number one comes as Arsenal’s team sheet is read out, and we’re off and running. And a second, moments later! 2.02pm: Arsenal have “quite literally shot themselves in the foot” this season, expert-analyses Alan McInally. 2.01pm: The players are clattering down the steps and out of Stoke’s pop-out tunnel, action imminent here. 2.00pm: If Thomas Vermaelen makes it off the bench today, there’s a chance that Arsenal might associate the Britannia Stadium with recovering from long-term injuries rather than sustaining them. And if they win, and Chelsea do likewise later on, Arsenal will be just three points off the lead. They’ve still haven’t got a gnat in hell’s chance of winning the league, of course, but it’s better than being six points away. 1.53pm: Still battling through five minutes of stoppage time at Molineux with Wolves 3-1 up against West Bromwich, sadly reducing the time available for Ramsey leg-cruncher mentions. 1.43pm: Current readers’ favourite in today’s sweepstake is between five and 10 times, with 34.72% of the vote. My vote goes to between 10 and 20, incidentally. 1.40pm: An anniversary that will bring back happy memories for Arsenal, and bad ones for Manchester United as they head for another potential title decider at Old Trafford: nine years ago today Arsenal went to Old Trafford, won 1-0 thanks to Sylvain Wiltord’s goal and secured the title. Here’s an aide-memoire , if you need it, courtesy of our very own Richard Williams. And here’s a video , if you must. 1.34pm: Hello again. I’ve only got some teams for you – and Ramsey, unsurprisingly given his performance against Manchester United last week, is a starter: Stoke: Begovic, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Pennant, Whelan, Whitehead, Delap, Walters, Jones. Subs: Sorensen, Collins, Pugh, Diao, Carew, Faye, Shotton. Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Gibbs, Walcott, Ramsey, Song, Wilshere, Arshavin, van Persie. Subs: Lehmann, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Squillaci, Eboue, Chamakh, Bendtner. Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire). 1.09pm: The question for today is: how often will Sky’s commentary team be mentioning last year’s match between Arsenal and Stoke here? I’ll count every single mention between the end of the Wolves v West Bromwich match and the final whistle, so here’s a just-for-fun sweepstake . 1pm: If you’re here early and you want to be entertained, here are a few match pointers. Or you can follow Wolves v West Bromwich with Barry Glendenning , if you prefer: • Stoke have won four of their last five home league meetings with Arsenal and also knocked them out of the FA Cup at the Britannia Stadium last season • Arsenal have the best passing accuracy in the opposition half (79.8%) while Stoke have the worst (55.7%) • Kenwyne Jones has had more headed shots (39) than any other player in the division There’s more where that came from, plus predicted line-ups for today’s game, in our squad sheets ? Premier League Stoke City Arsenal Simon Burnton guardian.co.uk

Posted by on May 8, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.