Arsene Wenger: There’s no ‘bad blood’ between Arsenal and Stoke City

Just another 'tough' game: But Wenger says there's no animosity despite 'history' of the fixture
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James Olley11 September 2015

Arsene Wenger insists there is no bad blood between Arsenal and Stoke despite there being “history” between the two clubs in recent years.

The Gunners host Mark Hughes’ side tomorrow afternoon in their 12th meeting since midfielder Aaron Ramsey broke his leg after a horrendous challenge by Ryan Shawcross during a Premier League encounter in February 2010.

Shawcross was sent off that day and booed by Arsenal supporters ever since. The centre-back will miss the clash at Emirates Stadium after undergoing spinal surgery in pre-season but the contest will still have an edge to it with each side viewed as the aesthetic antithesis of the other.

And Wenger said: “They have always had good teams and overall when we go to Stoke they are always specially motivated against us. There is history a little bit because of what happened and overall lit was always very difficult for us.

“For me there was never bad blood, it was just a game that was always very difficult for us to play. But I always focus on playing football and trying to get my team to play as well as we can.”

Arsenal are yet to win at home this season after losing on the opening day to West Ham before being held by Liverpool. The Gunners won both matches on the road - at Crystal Palace and Newcastle - and Wenger is urging his side to replicate that form in front of their own supporters.

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“What we want is to focus on our own performance as we want to take off at home now as we had two good away games with positive results in difficult places and we know at home we can be efficient against anybody,” he said.

“At home we have done quite well against Stoke. Sometimes we have problems at Stoke. They are team with a good culture of the Premier League, they know how to behave and they have experience.”

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