Arsenal extended their perfect Premier League run to six matches with a 2-0 victory at Sunderland.
Arsenal maintained their 100 per cent record in the Premier League in dramatic fashion by defeating Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium of Light. The reigning champions endured a bruising evening on Wearside before two pivotal minutes just before the hour mark shifted the contest decisively in their favour. Arsenal made it six wins from six this season with a 2-0 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light this evening. The victory, Arsenal’s fourth in a row in the Premier League and sixth in all competitions, maintains their strong start to the campaign and puts them above Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
The first half was a closely contested affair with clear chances at a premium. Kai Havertz went closest, first when he took the ball on his chest and volleyed brilliantly toward goal, only to be denied by a smart Robin Roefs save, then when Granit Xhaka improvised a backheel clearance to prevent him nodding in from close range. Declan Rice created a great chance for Saka at 0-0, but otherwise a bit sloppy, while Bukayo Saka should have opened the scoring but failed to make proper contact. Ben White got into some promising positions with overlapping runs, but looked lightweight when defending, and was replaced at the break. Myles Lewis-Skelly was lucky to escape an early booking, sloppy on the ball and withdrawn at half-time. Gabriel Magalhaes was strong in tackles and decent on the ball, but not without his usual theatrics – went down injured then complained when told to leave the field as per the rules. Riccardo Calafiori was solid as usual but didn’t provide his usual offensive threat.
David Raya Penalty Save and the Turning Point
Sunderland came out in the second half with a real sense of purpose and had a penalty. Referee John Brooks had spent much of the game dealing with both teams seeking advantage at set pieces and decided Ezri Konsa had crossed the line when grappling with Dan Ballard. Konsa had struggled to deal with Brobbey and looked unconvincing on the ball when pressed, and conceded the penalty for hauling down Ballard. Both had hold of each other’s shirts in the area as the ball arrived, making the call seem rather soft. Enzo Le Fee stepped up to take the spot-kick, but David Raya sprang brilliantly to tip the effort onto the post. David Raya had little to do until he made a superb penalty save with Arsenal struggling, delivering a match-turning moment that bailed Arsenal out.
Bruno Guimaraes Stunner Silences the Stadium of Light
Just 121 seconds after Raya’s heroics, Bruno Guimaraes scored a stunning goal. Guimaraes, whose every touch had been booed by the home fans due to his Newcastle connections, crashed a stunning strike in off the underside of the crossbar from outside the Sunderland box for his first Arsenal goal. Declan Rice recognised the opportunity to tee up Guimaraes, helping the Gunners break the deadlock.
Stoppage-Time Penalty Seals Result After Reinildo Red Card
Arsenal had to withstand late pressure from the home side, with David Raya saving well from Nordi Mukiele and showing really brave goalkeeping when challenged. They made the result safe when Bukayo Saka scored a stoppage-time penalty after Reinildo Mandava was shown a second yellow card for hauling him down. Saka dispatched the late penalty at the other end to add some gloss to the scoreline, capping off a hard-fought performance from a team who can really dig in and fight to win games.
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