Arsenal late show marred by horrific Ramsey injury

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STOKE, England, Feb 27, 2010 (AFP) - Arsenal's title ambitions remain alive after a 3-1 win at Stoke on Saturday in a match which was overshadowed by a horrific injury to Gunners' midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

The highly-rated 19-year-old Wales international was taken to hospital after a 65th minute challenge by Stoke's Ryan Shawcross which earned the defender a red card.

Ramsey's potentially career-threatening injury was deemed so ugly that television bosses refused to show replays of the incident.

Shawcross was clearly distraught as he left the pitch in the tears, the incident reviving memories of the incident when Arsenal's Eduardo suffered a dislocated and fractured ankle after a challenge by Birmingham's Martin Taylor almost two years to the day.

Stoke had taken the lead courtesy of Danny Pugh's first Premier League goal early in the first half before Nicklas Bendtner headed an equaliser.

After Ramsey's injury, Cesc Fabregas put Arsenal ahead from the penalty spot in the 90th minute when Pugh handled inside his area before Thomas Vermaelen wrapped up the points with the third goal.

Arsenal started the game knowing that victory would take them three points behind leaders Chelsea following Chelsea's surprise home defeat to Manchester City earlier in the day.

Yet Stoke has not been a happy hunting ground for the London club down the years. Arsenal's last league win on Stoke turf coming 28 years ago while they were looking to avoid a fifth straight league defeat against the Potteries club.

Stoke were supposed to be tired after an energy-sapping extra-time FA Cup victory over Manchester City on Wednesday.

Yet it was the Arsenal defence that was half asleep when was Pugh headed his side into an eighth minute lead following another long throw-in by Rory Delap.

The set-piece specialist has established a reputation for unlocking opposition defences with his long-range throws and he was at it again as he launched another into the Arsenal penalty area which was flicked on by Shawcross.

Pugh, making his first Premier League start of the season, was in the right place to head low into the net after being played on side by Vermaelen.

In the opening half hour Arsenal managed to test Thomas Sorensen just once when Fabregas's powerful effort tipped behind for a corner by Thomas Sorensen.

But they got back on level terms 13 minutes before half time thanks to a piece of quality from Bendtner, the Dane outjumping the home defence to get on the end of Fabregas's cross and power a header beyond the reach of Sorensen.

After a sluggish start, Arsenal were beginning to dominate and were fortunate not to win a 49th minute penalty when Stoke captain Abdoulaye Faye shoved Ramsey to the floor inside the home box.

Arsenal protested strongly but referee Peter Walton was not interested.

Sorensen was the busiest man on the pitch, Ivory Coast international Emmanuel Eboue denied his third goal of the campaign after the keeper did well to stop his rasping 59th minute drive.

But as the clock ticked down, Arsenal's frustration began to show. Having earlier denied the visitors a penalty, the referee further irritated Wenger by harshly booking Alexandre Song for a foul on Delap which means the Cameroon midfielder will miss the next two games.

Then came the incident which overshadowed the game, Ramsey receiving five minutes of treatment on the pitch before being stretchered off towards a waiting ambulance and whisked off to hospital.

Shawcross was distraught as he made his way off the pitch, the players in tears as he made his way off the pitch but Arsenal regained their compsure to claim a crucial win.