Hello and welcome to our live coverage of what in recent seasons has become one of the Premier League's biggest gurdge matches: Stoke City v Arsenal. These two teams, and their sets of fans, really don't like each other.

Cazorla has been a delight in this first half. Player of the match so far.

More good defending from Arsenal as Crouch is quickly closed down on the edge of the box and sees his shot blocked.

Jenkinson makes an important clearing header as a Stoke cross floats towards the back post and then Gibbs does likewise on the other side of the box. Arsenal have defended very well so far - the influence of Steve Bould perhaps?

Wenger gets to his feet to appeal for what he felt was a foul on Gervinho and in doing so attracts the ire of the Stoke fans, who don those 'hilarious' Wenger masks again and make fun of him.

Mannone comes off his line confidently to deal with another long throw from Cameron. His performance has been fine so far.

Stat from Opta: "Stoke have scored first in all five games they have played against Arsenal in all competitions at the Britannia Stadium under Tony Pulis, and on four of those occasions inside 11 minutes."

Arsenal go close! Arteta is caught in a challenge in midfield but the ref plays on and Cazorla forces Begovic into a smart save with a rasping effort from 25 yards.

Arteta takes the free kick and instead of flinging it into the box goes square to find Cazorla, who drags a weak shot wide of the post.

Wilson with one of those reducers on Cazorla. He comes in late on the midfielder and catches the top of his right boot. That was a nasty one.

Stat from Infostrada: "Before today, Arsenal have travelled four times to Stoke and managed only one Premier League win. Arsenal have gone with a maximum of one win in at least five PL visits at only two clubs: Sheffield Wednesday and Queens Park Rangers."

A superb effort for Stoke. Kightly receives the ball 25 yards from goal, pulls the ball between his legs to turn quickly and then hammers a firm effort that Mannone has to be alert to claim just in front of his line.

Cazorla fakes to shoot 20 yards from goal, shifts the ball onto his right foot and releases Giroud, who just fails to keep possession of the ball as he races into the box.

Arsenal try to play their way out of defence but Stoke take back possession and after Crouch slips him in with a neat touch, Wilkinson has a low shot saved by Mannone.

Cazorla now takes a neat touch infield and lays the ball off to Podolski, who rifles a shot well over the bar. The German is having a big shout in proceedings today.

Podolski is much livelier than in the opening game against Sunderland and tries to bundle his way through a group of shirts to get a shot away. Instead the ball falls to Cazorla and his weak toe-poke is not problem for Begovic.

Gervinho tries to wriggle away from Kightly but trips and falls. His clumsy demeanour is quite the contrast to Cazorla, who I could watch stroking the ball around all day long. Arsenal have a real player in the Spaniard.

Cazorla plays in Diaby with a lovely pass and after opting not to shoot the Frenchman slips in Gibbs to his left. Podolski is hollering for the ball in the centre but Gibbs gets his floated cross all wrong, before making up for it with a fine challenge to deny Pennant at the other end.

Random stat from Infostrada: "Geoff Cameron is the 38th player from USA to play a match in the Premier League." Brian McBride was obviously the best.

We are only 19 minutes into this game but it looks promising for Arsenal. They haven't been beaten into submission yet and have even been able to construct a few nice passing moves.

Cazorla takes the free kick and tries to drill one under the wall. The ball bounces back out to him and his follow-up shot is deflected off target.

Robert Huth goes into the book for bringing down Podolski 20 yards from goal. It was a superb run from the Arsenal forward as he received the ball from Gibbs, spun and charged through the heart of the Stoke midfield.