Jese Rodriguez shines as Stoke beat Arsenal

An impressive Jese Rodriguez hit the winner on his Premier League debut as Stoke edged Arsenal 1-0 at the Bet365 Stadium.

The 24-year-old's second-half strike proved enough as Stoke registered their first win over Arsenal in three years and after notching up their first three points of the campaign, something which took them until October to do last season, Mark Hughes and his side will hope the result can be used as a springboard for the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger will no doubt feel his side should have claimed at least a point as Jack Butland, Ryan Shawcross and Kurt Zouma all put in impressive defensive performances after the goal, denying and frustrating the Gunners whose inconsistent away form from last season looks like it could still be an issue.

After a lively start from both sides, it was the hosts who carved out the first opportunity in the third minute of the tie as new signing Jese was played in on goal by Darren Fletcher, but Petr Cech was quick off his line to deny the striker.

Arsenal, and Danny Welbeck, looked a threat in the final third and the former Manchester United man had a great chance to put the Gunners a goal ahead after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's ball over the top found the striker whose shot was well stopped by the onrushing Butland.

There was a penalty shout for the visitors in the 18th minute after Hector Bellerin looked to be nipped inside the area by Mame Biram Diouf as the Spaniard cut across him, referee Andre Marriner dismissed Arsenal appeals in what was a decision that could have went either way.

And Jese, who joined from PSG on loan, showed signs of why Mark Hughes wanted to bring him to Bet365 Stadium after the striker beat four Arsenal defenders before picking out Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting, although the German-Cameroonian forward headed straight at Cech.

The game was back and forth, this time it was Arsenal's turn to work Butland after Aaron Ramsey was found well by Chamberlain inside the box, but the Welsh international was denied by the Stoke 'keeper who looked in fine form.

Shawcross would have been bitterly disappointed not to have worked Cech once again after he was found by Choupo-Mouting, but the Potters' captain poorly headed wide despite no pressure from the Arsenal defence as both sides went in level.

It took Stoke 90 seconds to find the net after the break when Jese played the ball out to Saido Berahino on the left before the former West Brom player returned the pass to the Spaniard inside the box, leaving the forward to tuck the ball into the bottom-right corner.

After scoring, Stoke sat back inviting Arsenal pressure on and they were lucky to remain in the lead as Bellerin seen his low-hit shot stopped by Butland, before Welbeck's glancing header looped narrowly over the bar two minutes later.

Despite defending the edge of their box for large portions, the home-team came close to doubling their lead when Berahino hit his header into the ground and just as it looked like the Englishman's attempt would find the net, Cech's outstretched arm turned the ball behind for a corner.

Olivier Giroud was introduced in the 65th minute and the Frenchman made an immediate impact as his clever flick sent Welbeck in on goal, but the England international's heavy touch let him down and Butland claimed the ball easily.

Arsenal appeared to pull level in the 74th minute when Alexandre Lacazette buried his effort from just inside the area, however the Frenchman looked across to see the flag correctly raised for offside, a close call, but the right one.

Despite dominating the ball as the game came to a close, the equaliser never arrived for Arsenal, who now sit eleventh and face a daunting trip to Liverpool next weekend.

While 13th-placed Stoke face in-form West Brom.

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