Convincing win at Stoke for persevering Gunners

Arsenal travelled to Stoke looking to take all three points at a difficult stadium, in order to maintain their top four hopes. The Gunners got on the ball early, with every pass from the visitors met by a chorus of boos from the home crowd.

Butland was forced to palm Mustafi's header over the bar in the opening minutes, in what was the away team's first warning. Wenger's teams settled well into the match and began to move the ball around quickly, while Stoke showed a lack of intensity as they ran behind the ball.

Monreal looked lively popping up down the left regularly for Arsenal. Ozil found him with a long ball over the defence, but the Spaniard's touch let him down in front of Butland. Bellerin then crossed the ball from the right, and it eventually found Monreal at the far post. This time the wing-back headed against the upright.

A plane flying a banner with the words 'Wenger - Out means out' was seen flying over the Bet365 Stadium, while the north Londoners continued to look for the opener.

Just before half time, another fantastic passing move from Arsenal granted Bellerin space down the right hand-side of the box, and the Spaniard simply squared the ball across goal for Giroud to tap into an empty net.

Stoke attempted to respond after the break, but were hit by a huge blow as Arsenal doubled their lead. Alexis Sanchez and Ozil linked up in a brilliant exchange that saw the Chilean play a through ball into the area for the German to slot the ball past Butland.

Stoke did not give up and Diouf headed wide before making way for Crouch who quickly became the super-sub when he handled the ball past Cech to get back in the game.

It looked like bad news for Wenger as Sanchez signalled to the bench with an injury. As the substitution got ready to replace the Chilean, he picked up the ball and found the far corner after a slight deflection from the defender, to double his side's lead.

The Gunners made the home side pay once again with another fabulous passing move. Ozil played Ramsey into the penalty area, and the Welshman pulled the ball back for Giroud to slide in his finish from six yards.

Arsenal are fifth, one point behind Liverpool who play West Ham on Sunday. Wenger is not about to give up easily.