Arsenal v Stoke preview and score prediction

After a successful mid-week game vs. Marseille in the clubs first group stage Champions League game of the season, Arsenal now return to Premier League action, with Stoke City standing in our way at the Emirates this Sunday.
Arsenal will be looking to keep a very successful run going that has only seen one result not obtaining all three points so far this season and bearing in mind the way last season also ended, that run could be extended even further.

If it hadn’t been for that awful game vs. Aston Villa in the opening game of the Premier League season then things could have been even better for Arsenal. However saying this we still aren’t necessarily in a bad position and another win from the Gunners this weekend against Stoke could again see us return to the top of the table.

Stoke have had a very mixed start to the season and although they are no longer the rugby styled team that was managed under Tony Pulis, they will still prove to be a tough tackling and aggressive side to come up against. Although they may not have any real top quality players, apart from Begovic, they still have the potential to cause an upset for the Gunners, however ultimately I’m not expecting one.

There’s some good news on the injury front with Mikel Arteta seemingly ready to return to action after missing all of the games so far this season. He could go straight into the line-up in place of Flamini and aside from that I don’t expect many changes from the side that lined up against Marseille.

Arsenal are sure to be put through their tests on Sunday, but one thing we cannot forget is the significance of this game for one certain Aaron Ramsey. Stoke are the culprits of the hampering of the Welshman’s development, however with that all now behind Ramsey I’m sure he will be keen to keep up his good form and another goal from Welshman would be nothing more than he deserves. I think a 3-1 win for the Gunners is on the cards and a return to the top of the Premier League table.