Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
Arsenal could welcome back both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil for their Barclays Premier League clash against Chelsea on Sunday.
Sanchez has been missing since November with a hamstring issue and Ozil sat out last weekend's draw at Stoke due to a foot injury - but the pair are expected to start against the Blues.
Mohamed Elneny is still awaiting his Arsenal debut with fellow midfielder Francis Coquelin back in training following a knee injury but will not feature, nor will Danny Welbeck, Santi Cazorla (both knee) or Jack Wilshere (leg).
Recent reports state that Welbeck is set to return to training within the next two weeks.
“I am cautious with him because we cannot afford a setback with him,” said Wenger. “A setback would mean a very long period out so we don’t want to take this gamble. The signs he has shown in training this week are positive."
Show all 22 1 /22Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings STOKE - Butland: 8 out of 10 Another game in which he made his case to be a major contender for the England No.1 jersey. His save from Giroud in the first half showcased remarkable anticipation and pace off the line, keeping Stoke in the game.
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Johnson: 7 out of 10 Walcott was forced to move ever further infield in the hopes of space to influence the game so solid was Johnson. This was not the swashbuckling full-back of old, but it was the sort of display Mark Hughes would have wanted.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Shawcross: 6 out of 10 When Arsenal sent a cross into the area Shawcross was nigh-on certain to get his head on it. Loses one mark because on the one occasion he didn’t Giroud would have scored were it not for the supreme form of Butland.
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Wollscheid: 6 out of 10 Proof that Stoke’s physical approach to playing against Arsenal won’t die came as early as the first minute, when he simply pushed Walcott over to stop him getting to the ball. It was typical of the centre-half’s ‘industrious’ performance, but it got the job done.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Pieters: 6 out of 10 Rather struggled to tame Bellerin and Campbell in the early stages, but grew ever more steady as the contest progressed.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Whelan: 6 out of 10 A neat, composed display in protecting the defence. That his display was so rarely worthy of comment is more to his credit than suggesting any deficiencies in his performance.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Afellay: 7 out of 10 Made Stoke tick from deep, rarely putting a pass anywhere but exactly where a team-mate wanted it. He launched several counters by picking the right pass and on another day could have taken credit for a goal.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Walters: 5 out of 10 One wouldn’t expect him to replicate the displays of Xherdan Shaqiri, but perhaps he could at least put his passes in the right place. Too often though, that seemed beyond him as counter-attacks fell apart due to a loose pass.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Bojan: 5 out of 10 Stoke’s own Ozil has been off the boil in recent weeks and didn’t do much to change that today. A few brief moments in the early moments of the second half suggested he might craft a game-changing chance but it was little surprise he was the first man to be substituted.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Arnautovic: 7 out of 10 So full of delicate, dangerous touches that befuddled Arsenal’s midfielders and defenders, he looked the most likely to find the net for Stoke. He put Bellerin under considerable pressure throughout an energetic display.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Joselu: 6 out of 10 Did his best to stretch Arsenal’s centre-backs out wide but too often was out of position if Stoke looked to launch balls into the box.
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings ARSENAL - Cech: 8 out of 10 A quiet first half but when Joselu and Bojan called on him for a superb double save he was not found wanting. A flurry of threats from Stoke
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Bellerin: 7 out of 10 His tussle with Arnautovic was one of the highlights of the game, and more often than not it was the Spaniard who was to come out on top. As Stoke sent ever more men back to defend he kept earning Arsenal set-pieces
2016 The Arsenal Football Club Plc
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Mertesacker: 6 out of 10 Something of a quiet day for the captain, though on the ball the ball he radiated the calm authority so crucial in the bearpit that was the Britannia.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Koscielny: 7 out of 10 Swept up well when Stoke slipped balls behind the Arsenal backline and showed remarkable anticipation to steal the ball on a number of occasions.
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Monreal: 8 out of 10 As ever there was nothing for Wenger to find fault in defensively from Monreal, who kept Walters on a very short leash. When Bojan drifted wide to create he also wasn’t found wanting.
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Ramsey: 5 out of 10 This was Ramsey’s big chance to prove himself the equal of Ozil, Cazorla and company. The midfield was set up to exploit his strengths. Yet he didn’t really live up to expectations; there was the odd neat pass but never in a position where it mattered.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Flamini: 6 out of 10 At last those positional failings of Flamini seemed to be resolved, with the tough-tackling midfielder doing good work as an anchor in front of Arsenal’s defence. There are times when he can go missing, this was not one of them.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Walcott: 6 out of 10 As ever Walcott was on the peripheries of the game, waiting for his moment to strike. He gave Wollscheid in particular plenty to worry about but often when tasked with running at Stoke’s defence, rather than behind it, he lost possession.
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Oxlade-Chamberlain: 5 out of 10 Arsene Wenger suggested earlier this week that Oxlade-Chamberlain’s long-term future could be in central midfield. There were flashes to suggest he might be right, with the 22-year-old attacking with verve. But he cannot afford to be so blasé with possession against opposition with so many capable attackers.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Campbell: 7 out of 10 Of course the determination and willingness to track back that have been typical of Campbell in recent months were there. But in the absence of Ozil (and a host of other key names) he stepped up to the responsibility of being a creator.
2016 Getty Images
Stoke 0 Arsenal 0 player ratings Giroud: 5 out of 10 That delicate touch that has made him such a useful target man was all too often nowhere to be found for Giroud. The fact that he came up against a goalkeeper on top form was probably all that stopped him getting on the scoresheet but this was still not vintage Giroud.
2016 Getty Images
“The doubt is that he has been out for a long time and the risk of a setback if you try to go too early. To be clear on all the tests is one thing, after he is clear on training is another things, and after the intensity of a big game you can never repeat in a training session. You can make sure after a certain amount of time that the risk is minimal.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies