Saturday 6 December 2014 20:11, UK
Peter Crouch felt Stoke's first-half showing against Arsenal was the best he has been involved in since his time at the Britannia Stadium.
The striker stunned a lackluster Arsenal side by putting Stoke ahead after just 19 seconds, and the hosts continued to dominate the first half as Bojan Krkic doubled the lead and Jonathan Walters smashed in the third just before the break.
Although goals from Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey gave Arsenal hope they had defender Calum Chambers sent off for a second booking offence and Stoke held on.
Three-nil up against Arsenal is an incredible first half for us and in the end it was a little bit backs to the wall but we managed to grind it out in the end.
"We had started well in previous games that I've been part off but that was a great start obviously," he told Sky Sports.
"Three-nil up against Arsenal is an incredible first half for us and in the end it was a little bit backs to the wall but we managed to grind it out in the end."
Crouch had to settle for a place on the bench in the Potters' previous couple of matches as they looked to bounce back from three successive defeats.
But he was chomping at the bit after being handed a starting berth by manager Mark Hughes and was determined to take his opportunity.
"Obviously it has been a bit frustrating," Crouch admitted. "I was suspended for a game and the lads did well at Tottenham and then I wasn't playing the last few games so I was determined to come in today and try and get off to a good start.
"It's a dream start for me and from then on we had to build on that. I thought we did that very well and then when we had to show a bit of character at the end I thought that we did that as well."
