Stoke City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen admits he goaded Robin van Persie into the Arsenal striker's dismissal late into Saturday's 2-1 win. Sorensen provoked the one moment of real fight from Arsenal when he teased substitute Van Persie by waiting to pick up the ball on 76 minutes. The Dutchman lunged in only to see it plucked away at the last moment and deserved his straight red card for flooring the keeper with a senseless shoulder charge.

"I was teasing him a bit," said Sorensen. "I could see the frustration in his eyes and I used that."