Arsenal’s title hopes end with defeat at Stoke
Arsenal’s last
lingering mathematical chances of winning the Premier League title were
finally extinguished on Sunday, when they lost 3-1 at Stoke City.
Goals from Kenwyne
Jones, former Gunner Jermaine Pennant and Jon Walters condemned Arsenal
to a sixth season without a trophy while buoyant Stoke head for the FA
Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium next Saturday.
Jones scored with a
simple chance after 28 minutes, when Arsenal’s defence, who have
struggled to deal with set-pieces all season, allowed him to steal in
at a corner and guide the ball home with his chest.
Pennant, who only
made 12 appearances for Arsenal in six seasons early in his career,
doubled Stoke’s lead with a stunning 25-metre strike after running
unchallenged at the Arsenal defence. The shot took a slight deflection
off Johan Djourou that left goalie Wojciech Szczesny floundering.
Robin van Persie
pulled a goal back for Arsenal late on to extend his run of scoring in
Premier League away matches to eight but Walters pounced on some soft
defending almost immediately to kill off the Gunners.
In earlier action,
Wolverhampton Wanderers improved their chances of staying in the
Premier League, when they beat local rivals West Bromwich Albion 3-1 in
a keenly fought derby, to pull out of the relegation zone.
Wolves capitalised
on poor defending by their neighbours, to score twice in 13 first-half
minutes through Stephen Fletcher and Adlene Guedioura, before Fletcher
added a third goal after another defensive mistake by Abdoulaye Meite
two minutes after halftime.
West Brom, who have
climbed to safety after a run of good results since Roy Hodgson took
over as coach in February, replied when Peter Odemwingie scored for the
fifth successive league match with a 55th-minute penalty after
Guedioura tripped Jerome Thomas in the box.
Although they are still not safe with two games to play, Wolves are
now 17th with 37 points, with Blackpool dropping into the bottom three
on 36. Wigan Athletic are 19th on 36 and West Ham United bottom with
33.
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