Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a goalless draw away at Stoke City this afternoon.
It was a slow start to proceedings at the Britannia Stadium and the first moment of note did not arrive until the 20th minute when Ibrahim Afellay fired wide from outside the area.
Seconds later it was Arsenal who could have gone in front when Joel Campbell threaded the ball through for Olivier Giroud, who was denied by a sprawling Jack Butland from close range.
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Butland was called into action again on the half-hour mark, tipping Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's curling shot over the bar. At the other end, Stoke were creating little and wasted two good opportunities on the counter-attack with sloppy passing.
Arsenal started on the front foot in the second half and for a second time Butland got the better of Giroud, diving low to push the Frenchman's header away following a corner from Aaron Ramsey.
Petr Cech was rarely troubled in the opening 45, but he was alert when he needed to be in the 56th minute. First he reacted well to deny Joselu before scrambling back and keeping out Bojan Krkic's follow-up on the line.
Ten minutes later Cech kept Joselu at bay once more, but after that it was all Arsenal in the closing quarter of the match.
Although Stoke sat back and invited pressure, Arsene Wenger's side struggled to create many opportunities and lacked creativity with Mesut Ozil sitting out due to a slight foot injury.
In fact, it was Stoke who almost snatched the points in the final minute when Jonathan Walters's header was cleared off the line by Ramsey before Cech stuck out a leg to stop Joselu's volley from the rebound.
A point means that Arsenal return to the top ahead of Leicester City on goal difference, while Stoke remain seventh.
Pascal Lemesre
