Arsene Wenger was pleased as Arsenal “kept a clean sheet again” in their 4-1 victory over Stoke.
The Gunners boosted their chances of finishing in the top four with victory over the Potters, which puts them one point behind Liverpool with just two games remaining.
Arsenal went 2-0 up via Olivier Giroud’s finish in the 42nd minute and Mesut Ozil’s in the 55th.
Stoke hit back though a controversial 67th-minute Peter Crouch effort, which saw him appear to divert the ball in with his arm, before goals from Alexis Sanchez in the 76th minute and Giroud 10 minutes from time wrapped things up for the visitors.
Wenger’s anger at the Crouch goal was clear at the time, and he said of the incident afterwards:
“I was suspicious about the noise of the ball. I was surprised he got to the ball when I saw his position, and people told me it was handball.”
The 67-year-old also notably claimed his team had kept a clean sheet.
Reflecting on his side’s performance, Wenger – who has spoken out in the past about Stoke’s tactics – said: “
I thought we were dominant, had a good structure, were patient and intelligent, and stuck together in the moment when Stoke tried to make it rough for us.
“That was a patch in the second half where we had to stick together, at a few corners. And we kept a clean sheet again.”
Asked if it had been unfairly rough, Wenger said:
“I don’t say that. In the second half they made it a bit more physical, we had to find some resources and keep our nerve, and continue with the desire to play, and we did that well.”
Wenger also revealed the impressive Sanchez had come off just after scoring due to a kick on the thigh, adding that he did not expect it to sideline the Chilean for the Sunderland game.
