Half-Time Report: Arsenal in cruise control against Stoke City

Arsenal are leading Stoke City 2-0 at the halfway point of their Premier League clash thanks to goals from Laurent Koscielny and Alexis Sanchez.

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The hosts made a lively start at the Emirates Stadium, with Sanchez bending an effort towards the bottom corner after just two minutes, but Potters goalkeeper Asmir Begovic was able to get down low and pull off a smart save.

Just three minutes later, however, the Gunners were in front. After Stoke failed to clear an initial corner, Sanchez curled a cross into the box for Koscielny to plant a header beyond the keeper.

Arsenal then suffered a setback when Mathieu Debuchy has to be substituted after just 12 minutes played, with the Frenchman injuring his shoulder following a challenge by Marko Arnautovic.

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Nevertheless, the home side continued to push forward and threatened twice in quick succession as Olivier Giroud forced a save from Begovic before slicing wide moments later.

Stoke had a chance just before the half-hour mark when Bojan rolled the ball to Glenn Whelan from a free kick, but the 30-year-old blasted over.

They would come to rue that miss because Arsenal doubled their lead in the 33rd minute. Livewire Sanchez exchanged passes with Tomas Rosicky before marauding into the Stoke box and slotting home.

Gunners goalkeeper David Ospina, preferred to Wojciech Szczesny, was not tested until a tame Peter Crouch shot in first-half injury time.