Szczesny left fuming
Wojciech Szczesny reacted furiously after being dropped following his cigarette shame.Arsene Wenger picked Colombian keeper David Ospina after Mirror Sport revealed this week Szczesny was fined £20,000 for smoking in the showers at Southampton.
But the Pole believed he would face Stoke and was understood to be angry when Wenger told him he was axed for the game and now faces a fight to regain his place.
Szczesny looked angry when TV cameras panned to him on the bench as he kept the hood up on his big coat and sulked his way through Arsenal’s comfortable victory thanks to Alexis Sanchez’s brace and Laurent Koscielny’s opener.
Read more on the goalkeeper situation right here.
Arsenal 3-0 Stoke City: Match report
Clean sheet gives defenders boost
Alexis Sanchez stole the show at the Emirates as he scored twice and set another up in the 3-0 win over Stoke, but Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was just as pleased with a clean sheet for his back four.It was a second successive shutout for the Gunners following last week's 2-0 FA Cup win over Hull, having gone seven games without a clean sheet before that.
Arsenal's defence came in for criticism in the wake of the 2-0 defeat at Southampton in the Premier League on New Year's Day, but they kept Stoke out relatively comfortably.
"Football is a game where you have to be realistic as well because we have to stop conceding goals and that’s why today hopefully will improve our defenders’ confidence," said Wenger.
Read more from Arsene Wenger right here.
Jack Lang: Five things we learned
Mark Hughes admits team well beaten
Clive Rose
The Stoke boss is a notorious bad loser who always seems to have a complaint about a referee, a decision or an opponent.
In fairness, you wouldn't want any manager to be a good loser because, as the saying goes, show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.
But, for once, no complaints from Hughes because Stoke - very unusually - were well beaten in every department. They were outmuscled in midfield, only Ryan Shawcross defended well and gave Peter Crouch no service up front.
Read more from Mark Hughes right here.
Sissoko says Arsenal are "the club of my heart"
Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko has admitted he wants to join “the club of my heart” Arsenal.Mirror Sport revealed last month that Sissoko was a £16million target for the Gunners and the French international admits he wants to go to a “bigger club”.
While Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc claimed he is not interested in the 25-year-old, the player has let it be known that he wants to join Arsenal.
Sissoko told French TV show Telefoot: “The transfer market is open, so things can happen any day, but I am focused on Newcastle.
Read more on Moussa Sissoko right here.
Perrin in the dark
Arsenal target Loic Perrin has admitted that he still doesn't know where his future lies, writes Ed Malyon.The Saint Etienne captain last week revealed that the Gunners had already contacted him over a move, but were yet to talk to the Ligue 1 club.
And, speaking this weekend, he confessed that his immediate future hangs in the balance with Arsene Wenger still not having made a formal approach to Les Verts , and the north London club's interest in Winston Reid also piquing:
“Frankly I don’t know anything," Perrin said.
"There are always rumours, even though Arsenal have inquired and have contacted my agent.
“But Saint Etienne still haven’t been [contacted], and that’s the most important thing. Full stop.
“I’ve always said that Saint Etienne is my club and that if I were to leave it would be to take the next step. And when you talk about Arsenal, you’re not talking about any old club.”
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Monday's Arsenal stories from other papers & websites
Carvalho deal imminent
Arsenal are hoping to confirm the signing of £25million defensive midfielder William Carvalho in the next two weeks, according to the Daily Star.Arsene Wenger has made it clear that a defensive midfielder - a long-term replacement for Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta - is the number one priority for this transfer window.
And now it seems that the Sporting Lisbon's Carvalho is finally going to be the man to fill that void, with the Gunners pushing through the deal.
It has been reported that Wenger had two failed bids for Carvalho in the summer, but has now returned to the market.
United plan to gazump Gunners
John Peters
The French midfielder impressed in the middle of the park as the Saints claimed a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday evening - and he did enough to impress the United hierarchy.
Arsenal have reportedly been chasing Schneiderlin for some time, but could be pipped to the signing because of United's spending power in the transfer window.
Barton: Arsenal should sign Stones
Joey Barton believes that highly-rated Everton defender John Stones is the perfect man for Arsenal.Barton told pundits that the Gunners should swoop for him before his valuation rockets in the coming year.
“If you look at Arsenal and the style they play, surely they are looking at John Stones for Everton. He fits their model,” Barton told BBC 'Match of the Day 2 Extra'.
“He’s an exceptional player. He’s going to be the hub of Everton’s defence. Reality says that you’re going to pay a premium for him with the longer you wait because he’s going to keep improving and improving with game time.
The fight for Van Dijk
Getty
The Dutch centre-back has made it clear that he would like to leave the Scottish Premier League and try his look in the English Premier League, where he believes he will forward his career.
And with both he Gunners and United looking to strengthen their defensive ranks this winter, Van Dijk is set to be one of the primary targets for both teams.
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