Bendtner brilliant header, terrible injury sustained by Aaron Ramsey

STOKE CITY 1
- Pugh 8

ARSENAL 3
- Bendtner 32,
- Vermaelen 90,
- Fabregas (pen) 90

**A late penalty from Cesc Fabregas helped Arsenal defeat Stoke 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium in a game overshadowed by a horror injury to Aaron Ramsey.

The host lead after seven minutes when he nodded home a long throw Rory Delap first throw-in brings a goal knocked down by Danny Pugh ran in to crouch and head into the net from a couple of yards, it was perfect for Pugh.

That allowed Arsenal to settle and they finally began to win some possession in a congested midfield. They equalised after 31 minutes with a clever throw-in routine of their own. Fabregas had too much room on the right to receive a short throw, take a touch and swing an accurate, dipping cross to the far post. It found Bendtner, this is a brilliant header.

The game will be remembered for a terrible injury sustained by Aaron Ramsey midway through the second half after a tackle from Ryan Shawcross. The Stoke defender was sent off for his lunge on the Welshman, Ramsey looks like he will be out for a long time with a suspected broken leg.

The game looked destined to end 1-1, Bendtner tried to flick a return pass to Song, but it hit the outstretched arm of Pugh. In Pugh's defence he was trying to pull his arm out of the way, and he was only a few yards away from Bendtner.

Position Stoke 1-2 Arsenal Fabregas penalty scores. Sorensen, who saved a penalty from Fabregas in the return fixture, dived to his left and got a hand on it, but it was sidefooted close to the corner with good power by Fabregas and just sneaked in.

Arsenal weren't finished yet though and make score again, and Vermaelen bundled in a Bendtner ball across goal, to seal the three points and put Arsenal have taken a really important stride towards the title today.

Teams :

Stoke City: Thomas Sorensen, Abdoulaye Faye (Danny Collins 60), Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth, Andy Wilkinson, Dean Whitehead (Liam Lawrence 78), Glenn Whelan, Danny Pugh, Rory Delap, Mamady Sidibe, Ricardo Fuller (Tuncay Sanli 80) .

Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Thomas Vermaelen, Sol Campbell, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Aaron Ramsey (Tomas Rosicky 71), Alexandre Song, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri (Eduardo 84), Emmnuel Eboue (Theo Walcott 75), Nicklas Bendtner.