Arsenal moved level on points with Premier League leaders Chelsea, after coming from behind to beat Stoke City 3-1 at the Emirates stadium.
Charlie Adam had given the Potters a surprise lead on the half hour mark, but the Gunners hit-back and levelled before half time through Theo Walcott. Mesut Ozil's deft header helped the home side complete the turnaround, before Alex Iwobi came off the bench to seal the three points late on.
Arsene Wenger, as expected, brought several players back into the side following last week's Champions League match in Basel and the Emirates crowd will alsohave welcomed the sight of Hector Bellerin sitting on the substitutes bench, as he returned to the squad for the first time since recovering from an ankle injury.
Mark Hughes, meanwhile, made one change to his team following last week's win over Burnley as Joe Allen was recalled in place of Johnathan Walters.
It was a frantic opening to the game with both teams playing at a high tempo and having to rely on some last ditch defending to keep the opposition at bay.
We've been forced into an early change...
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Despite the Gunners slowly taking control of possession, the visitors had the better of the chances and just moments after wasting a glorious opportunity, Joe Allen won his side a penaltywhen he was knocked down in the area by Granit Xhaka's elbow.
Adam stepped up to take the spot-kick and much to the delight of the Stoke fans, the midfielder sent Cech the wrong way to give the Potters a shock lead.
The goal did little to alter the flow of the game as the hosts struggled to find a way past an organised Potters defence. Mame Biram Diouf made a crucial last ditch clearance to deny Ozil a tap-in, as frustration started to grow around the Emirates.
GOAL Arsenal 1-1 Stoke (42 mins). Walcott levels the scores with a near-post volley from Bellerin's cross #ARSSTK
But with half time fast approaching, Arsenal found an equaliser when substitute Hector Bellerin's low cross from the right was knocked into the net by Walcott who had made a last minute run into the area.
Stoke held off a late charge by the Gunners before the interval, but with themomentum now behind the home side, they quickly took the lead just four minutes into the second half.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's superb chipped pass over the top of the Potters' defence was met by abrilliant, loopingheaderby Ozil who watched the ball sail over Grant and bounce into an empty net.
Buoyed by taking the lead, Arsenal went in search of their third goal, with both Xhaka and Oxlade-Chamberlain testing Grant with long range efforts.
With the game drifting into the final 20 minutes,the away side went in search of an equaliser of their own, but both Diouf and his replacement, Peter Crouch, wasted headers.
Those misses were to prove costly as the hosts extended their advantage when substitute Alex Iwobi placed the ball past Grant in the Stoke goal, following a good advantage played by referee Lee Mason.
GOAL Arsenal 3-1 Stoke (75 mins). Iwobi picks up the ball from Sanchez, drives into the box and places low into the corner #ARSSTK
With the game virtuallyover, Wenger's side had chances to extend their lead even further asWalcott nearly added his second of the day and was onlydenied by an excellent low save.
To their credit, the Potters still went in search of a way back into the match, but were unable to really test Cech in the Arsenal goal as the hosts saw out the remaining few minutes and sealed an important three points.
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The win moves the Gunners joint top of the table, but Chelsea can pull-away from their London rivals if they get at least a point in their home clash with West Brom on Sunday.
The wait is over... here's how we line up for #AFCvSCFC pic.twitter.com/vIEUDghC9b
� #SCFC Starting XI v @Arsenal: Grant; Johnson, M.Indi, Muniesa; Diouf, Adam, Imbula, Pieters; Shaqiri, Allen, Arnautovic. pic.twitter.com/M8zUMenCVz