Afternoon folks! Game nine of matchday 22 in the Premier League looks like an absolute belter as Arsenal travel to face Stoke City at the Britannia. There's just under an hour til kickoff and plenty to talk about between now and then. We'll start with the team news and there's a big name missing for the Gunners...

STOKE XI: Butland; Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; Whelan, Afellay; Walters, Arnautovic, Bojan; Joselu
Subs: Haugaard, Muniesa, Odemwingie, Van Ginkel, Adam, Diouf, Crouch

ARSENAL XI: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Ramsey, Flamini, Campbell, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott; Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Elneny, Arteta, Iwobi

We'll give Stoke the honour as they're at home - Mark Hughes names an unchanged lineup as the same 11 players who started the 3-1 win over Norwich City in midweek trot out again. Much more interesting team news from Mr Wenger though...

Mesut Ozil is missing for the Gunners with what the club call a slight foot injury. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starts in his place and there is also a place on the bench for new signing Mohamed Elneny.

Oxlade-Chamberlain's inclusion, by the way, is the only change made by Wenger from the 3-3 draw at Liverpool on Wednesday. I wonder if the former's inclusion could mean 4-4-2 at times for the Gunners today, with Walcott joining Giroud in attack. If not, who is going to play in Ozil's central playmaking role?

With Ozil joining the likes of Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez on the treatment table, Arsenal's bench looks pretty weak today. Young striker Alex Iwobi is the only forward among the subs, so Wenger might hope that his side can open up a lead and then bring on someone like Chambers, Arteta or Elneny - a defensive midfielder - to help see the game out.

So Arsenal are dealing with plenty of injuries, but Stoke aren't exactly at full-strength either. Xherdan Shaqiri is the biggest absentee, but Stephen Ireland, Geoff Cameron and Phil Bardsley are also not available today.

With Shaqiri missing, Jonathan Walters will start on the right, with Joselu leading the line and Bojan and Marko Arnautovic in behind and on the left respectively. Further back, plenty of eyes will be on Jack Butland, who has arguably been the league's best keeper this season.

Stoke come into this match having won two in a row against Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup and Norwich in the league. They are seventh in the table and as it stands they will go level on points with Manchester United above them with a win today.

UPDATE: Not anymore! United have just taken the lead at Liverpool in the first game of the day, with Wayne Rooney slamming home in the 79th minute. If you want to follow the rest of that one, click here.

Wow, this really surprises me. 250 already?

To be fair, this summer will mark eight years since Ramsey joined the Gunners from Cardiff as a 17-year-old. With Ozil out today, you feel that Ramsey's role will be even more important.

Back to Stoke and their home form in the league has been so impressive of late. They have won four out of five and in three of those games they beat Chelsea, Manchester City and Man Utd without conceding. Can they topple another big boy today?

Arsenal have the second-best away record of anyone in the top flight, although they have only won one of their last five league games on the road and that was at rockbottom Villa before Christmas. You'd think Stoke have a great chance today then.

STAT: Eleven of the 14 goals Stoke have scored against Arsenal in Premier League history have been netted in the first half.

Read our match report if you want to find out more about United's win. There wasn't much in it and Rooney's goal was one of few clear-cut chances.

H2H: Stoke have an excellent record when playing Arsenal at home, losing just one of their seven Premier League games against the Gunners at the Britannia Stadium (W4).

The reverse fixture in September did go Arsenal's way, though, with goals either side of half time from Walcott and Giroud proving the difference.

Monseiur Giroud has been in impressive form lately, scoring twice at Anfield in midweek to take his Premier League tally this season to 12. In fact, the Frenchman has the best minutes-per-goal ratio of any player this season to score more than five times, netting every 117 minutes on average.

PREDICTION: Time to make my ill-fated prediction then and I'm really struggling to pick a winner here. I reckon a draw is the most likely result, so I'll say 1-1.

Here come the two teams out of the tunnel, with the floodlights shining brightly at the Britannia. Can Arsenal return to the top, or will Stoke take another scalp?

Some stats from the folks at Sky Sports News:

KICKOFF! Arsenal, in their gold and navy away kit, get us underway!

Today's referee is Craig Pawson and he's got an early call to make as Walcott flicks the ball around Wollscheid before being blocked off by the Stoke man. Had that been later in the game I reckon he would have been booked, but he gets away with it early.

The free kick is swung over by Ramsey and Stoke make a vital clearance at the back post to ensure that it did not reach Koscielny, who was waiting to tap home.

Good early energy from Stoke. They are pressing the Gunners very high and almost mimicking the tactics of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in midweek. I'll take another 3-3 thriller!

It looks like Oxlade-Chamberlain is the one playing centrally behind Giroud, with Campbell out on the right and Walcott on the left. Ramsey always looking to burst forward and Flamini holding the fort in front of the defence.

Campbell charges in from the right and Ramsey finds him with a nice through-ball. The Costa Rican could try to take it in his stride and get off a quick shot but instead tries a sharp turn back the other way that doesn't work.

The first shot of the game arrives and it's a naff one as Arnautovic has a pop from distance and knocks a coffee out of someone's hands in row Z.

Bojan is next to try his luck for the Potters, but his low drive from 25 yards is blocked. Stoke showing a bit more intent the last couple of minutes.

In years gone by Arsenal struggled here because of Stoke's physical style, but that's not the way they play anymore under Mark Hughes. Wenger even said this week that he was impressed with their creativity.

Walcott wins a free kick in a good position out wide but then takes it quickly and tries to work a one-two with Giroud. The Frenchman loses control and that's a bit of a waste.

That kinda sums up this game so far. I haven't jotted down that anything of note has happened 🙄

SHOT! I knew the eye-roll emoji would cause something to happen! Really nice passing from Stoke means that Afellay has space to take aim and shoot from 22 yards, but his effort is pulled a little wide. Well-struck, but Cech always knew it was whizzing wide.

SAVE! What a phenomenal save from Butland! Arsenal carve open Stoke for the first time and Giroud is through on goal. He gets enough height on it to beat Butland's sprawled legs, but the England youngster has a hand up and beats it away. Superb stop!

A draw would move Arsenal back to the top today on goal difference, but a win would take them two clear of Leicester. Open this link in a new tab if you want to see the live table.

Arsenal corner as Shawcross blocks Ramsey's shot away. Before that Bellerin got down the right and his cutback was met by Giroud before the Frenchman lost control. Ramsey picked it up and took aim, but he could not get it past Shawcross.

Stoke break from the resulting corner and they have a three-on-two situation until Walters produces an awful pass that wastes the counter.

SAVE! Oxlade-Chamberlain shifts the ball onto his right foot and curls for the top corner. It would have to be some effort to beat Butland from there and it's a fairly comfortable stop as he tips over.

Oxlade-Chamberlain tries again after the corner came out to him and his shot takes a deflection off teammate Koscielny, ricocheting wide. After a drab opening 20 minutes, this game has really come to life in the last 10.

Arnautovic misses a great chance to head home from Johnson's cross, but it wouldn't have counted if he had done as he was just offside when the ball came in.

Joselu gets up well to meet a high ball in the area, but there was no pace on the ball and the striker's header was easy for Cech to catch at eye level. That's the first time the Gunners' keeper has been worked today.

Stoke win the ball back high up the pitch and Bojan then collects to drive at the visitors' backline. They back off and back off, so he curls for the far corner and pushes it wide. Poor effort.

Terrible from Afellay as Arsenal again give it away to give Stoke the chance to break. The Dutchman had Arnautovic making a great run into the box but didn't see him and then gave it away.

Ramsey takes a quick free kick to get Arsenal up the field and Walcott then turns it on to Giroud, whose cross into the middle is a good one but also well defended by Wollscheid. This game needs half time, it's gone flat again.

One minute of added time. Get em in the changing room for a geeing up.

Not much in the game. Stoke have been decent on the ball and wasted some good counter-attacking opportunities, while Butland has made two good saves to deny Giroud and Oxlade-Chamberlain, the first one especially good. We'll be back soon for the second half!

KICKOFF! We're back underway at the Britannia, with no changes from either manager.

Both Hughes and Wenger still have all three subs available, by the way. No enforced first-half changes and no bookings either in the opening 45.

SAVE! Butland denies Giroud again! This time it's a header as Giroud is left unmarked to meet Ramsey's corner. His header is low and firm towards the corner but Butland is alert and gets down quickly to push it away.

Corner to Stoke now and a huge roar from the crowd. Arsenal had started the second half better but this is the hosts' first corner...

Shawcross charges into Cech and Pawson blows up for a foul. Easy decision that.

Half-hearted appeals for a penalty from some Arsenal players as Giroud rolls Wollscheid in the area before tumbling to the turf. There wasn't much in it and Giroud probably could have stayed on his feet. Good call.

ANOTHER penalty shout from the Gunners and this time I think Pawson should have blown up. Only for a free kick, mind, but Wollscheid's block on Walcott was pretty blatant.

Good block from Flamini to stop Bojan's shot after some neat work down the right with Johnson.

DOUBLE-SAVE! Cech hasn't had much to do today, but he's just made a fabulous double-save. First he stuck out his right hand to deny Joselu before scrambling back and saving Bojan's follow-up on the line. Best moment for Stoke.

Almost an hour gone then and both teams have now had good chances denied by the two goalkeepers. It still hasn't really opened up and if there is going to be a winner today, it will probably only be by one goal.

That is awful from Pieters. The Stoke defender clearly dived to get a free kick as Bellerin tried to dance into the box and the officials bought it. Horrible.

At the other end, Pieters does something good with a curling cross that Monreal has to head out for a corner with Walters lurking behind.

STOKE SUB: Change in attack for the home side as Mame Biram Diouf comes on for Bojan.

SAVE! Cech to the rescue again for Arsenal as he parries Joselu's shot wide.

Arsenal really look bereft of ideas at times. It's unfortunate that the likes of Ozil and Sanchez are absent, but Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ramsey are simply not doing enough in that central area.

ARSENAL SUB: Wenger makes the only attacking change at his disposal, replacing Walcott with 19-year-old Iwobi. Can the youngster make an impact?

Stoke are playing a bit of a dangerous game now by sitting back more and more, inviting Arsenal pressure. They've got about 20 minutes to see out for an impressive point.

Excellent defensive header from Johnson just as Koscielny was charging in behind and about to thunder home a header. The way this is going, Arsenal are the only team that will nick it.

Ten minutes plus stoppage time remaining then and it really does look like both teams are happy with a goalless point. So little life in this contest.

SHOT! Decent opening for Arsenal as Campbell receives the ball on the right before cutting inside and slapping a curled shot wide of the far post. He should have at least tested Butland there.

STOKE SUBS: Double change from Hughes, with Van Ginkel and Adam on for Arnautovic and Afellay. Fresh legs in midfield for the final five minutes.

SHOT! Whelan tries his luck with an audacious shot from distance that Koscielny flicks away with his head.

OFF THE LINE! Stoke so close to nicking it! First Walter's header from the corner was headed off the line by Ramsey before Joselu's follow-up was kept out by Cech.

ARSENAL SUB: Chambers on for Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Three minutes of stoppage time.

A boring game ends goalless. Butland and Cech made two key saves apiece in what was a match of few chances. It means that Arsenal are back on top due to their better goal difference, but Man City are now just a point behind.

Thanks very much for joining SM tonight and throughout the weekend. I'll leave you with the latest Premier League table and kindly ask you to stick around for Barcelona vs. Athletic Bilbao, coverage of which begins at 6.30pm. See you there!