Arsenal back on top of table after goalless draw at Stoke

LONDON (Reuters) – STOKE CITY 0 ARSENAL 0

Arsenal regained top spot in the Premier League on goal difference from Leicester City after a fiercely-contested goalless draw at Stoke City on Sunday.

The second half was far more exciting than the first with both teams creating chances in an end-to-end duel which saw both goalkeepers make some superb saves.

Jack Butland made three important stops for Stoke, from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Olivier Giroud in the first half, and from Giroud in the second, with Petr Cech twice denying Marko Arnautovic after the break.

Cech also reacted brilliantly after saving from the Austrian to thwart a follow-up shot from Bojan Krcic at the end of a swift Stoke counter-attack.

Stoke went close to a winner in the dying minutes only for Aaron Ramsey and Cech combining to clear two goal-bound attempts.

(Reporting by Mike Collett; editing by Martyn Herman)