Sunday 7 December 2014 07:27, UK
Mark Hughes was delighted as Stoke, struggling with both injuries and form, bounced back to seal their first win in three Premier League matches with a 3-2 success at home to Arsenal.
First-half efforts from Peter Crouch, Bojan Krkic and Jonathan Walters had put Stoke in complete control and only a controversial decision from referee Anthony Taylor midway through the second half had denied them a four-goal lead.
Taylor's ruling threatened to be a major talking point when two quick-fire goals from Santi Cazorla, from the penalty spot, and Aaron Ramsey gave the Gunners hope, however the dismissal of Calum Chambers ruined the visitors' momentum.
The Potters' win continued their excellent home record against the Gunners, making it five victories and two draws from their eight league matches against them at the Britannia Stadium.
I thought not only the quality of the balls into the box but our general play as well, we kept the ball, created good movement in wide areas and got the ball into the box.
"It was a great win for us," Hughes told Sky Sports. "We've been disappointed in recent days because we went to Liverpool and Man United and really did well in both games but got nothing for our efforts.
"Today, I sensed a real determination in our play and that was evident straight from the off. We scored within 20 seconds with a ball into the box to our front guys that we talked about needing to do.
"From that point onwards I thought not only the quality of the balls into the box but our general play as well, we kept the ball, created good movement in wide areas and got the ball into the box.
"To be fair Arsenal found it very difficult to cope with in that opening period and to get the third goal right on half-time doesn't happen very often, so we were delighted.
"At four-nil, which we feel it should have been Bojan produced a great individual goal and for whatever reason the referee seems to want to find a foul with it. He eventually felt that Mame Diouf was in the way of the keeper, but I think that's very harsh. I think everybody in the stadium felt it was a genuine goal.
"All of a sudden Arsenal get two quick-fire goals and it gets a bit frenetic, but we saw it to its conclusion thankfully and it was well deserved on the strength on our first half performance in my view."
