Sunderland end Arsenal’s winning run – and show the rest of the Premier League how to stop them | OneFootball

Have the Premier League’s newly arrived disruptors unlocked a way of disrupting Arsenal’s title charge?

The evidence from the chaos at a raucous Stadium of Light suggests a case for that theory, and a sliver of reassurance for Mikel Arteta amid the frustration. Faced with the disciplined, athletic, spirited red and white wall of Sunderland, Arsenal wobbled, then conjured a forceful second half revival, but ultimately wilted.

In the previous 10 games, five in the league, Arsenal rolled over their opponents with varying degrees of ease, even going eight games without conceding a goal. Encountering a home city infused with a spirit of regeneration and defiance, the Gunners saw that winning streak and clean sheet collection wrecked.

Titles are not won in November but important staging posts are reached, stern tests are faced, and the foundations of champions are laid.

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An uncomfortable afternoon for Mikel Arteta (Getty)

A point here is no disaster. But with victory in their grasp in the 94th minute, they were pulled around, bullied and battered by Sunderland’s last gasp attacking endeavours, and the win was snatched away by Brian Brobbey’s improvisation, after a rare outmuscling of Gabriel.

Is this the tactical blueprint to play Arsenal? Make the game a mess, full of interruptions, niggles and a total lack of fluidity, the theme of the first half.

For the neutral it was perhaps ugly; for the Wearside locals, it was a show of new found belief.

Arteta said: “We have to learn and get better. The last feeling is of disappointment and frustration. We had to navigate a disrupted game. We reacted well, showed personality and courage.”

By the 35th minute just before Dan Ballard opened the scoring, there was a physicality, belligerence and a lack of fear, with the ball in play for just 13 minutes before that goal.

Regis Le Bris’s athletic side had hassled, chased and competed with a disciplined ferocity that made you wonder why more opponents don’t turn games into an arm-wrestle.

An unstoppable title force? The year when Arteta finally delivers the big one? This game’s dramatic finale laid some grounds for doubt.

Arteta’s defence would usually hold strong but there was an intoxicating power to the home crowds urging, with their team pushing for a leveller. Brobbey’s hooked finish was excellent.

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Brian Brobbey scored an athletic goal (Getty)

Sunderland is a city, and a club, experiencing regeneration. Whether it be a new bridge linking the Stadium of Light with the centre, nearby Sheepfold Stables doing a roaring hospitality trade, or on the pitch with Le Bris’s £160m summer squad rebuild.

Amassing 19 points from their first 11 is one of the best returns by a newly promoted side in two decades. Being in the game at the death, bullying an equaliser suggests they will continue to push upwards.

Arsenal’s defence was breached for the first time in eight games, and 13 and a half hours of play, when their former academy product Ballard gave the Wearside upstarts the lead.

Centre back Ballard joined the Arsenal academy aged 8, earned a professional contract, and had three loan spells, with Swindon, Blackpool and Millwall before Arteta cashed him in, and let him build a blossoming career on Wearside from 2022.

Ballard, 26, bustled past Declan Rice in the box, as Nordi Mukiele’s header fell invitingly. He lashed a right foot volley giving David Raya no chance.

It was an unusual feeling for Arteta. The last person to score against Arsenal was Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade on 28 September. “Losing the clean sheet record gave me a pain in my tummy,” said Arteta.

Only it was Sunderland who were tight and compact here. Even Geordie diehard Alan Shearer declared himself “mightily impressed” with the “discipline and aggression” on show.

Arsenal’s second half response – an impressive, commanding imposition of authority – suggests they can change gear when provoked.

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Arsenal’s response to Sunderland’s fast start was impressive as Saka scores (Reuters)

It was fashioned by a marauding Declan Rice, and second-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard. There was no discipline about the way Sunderland conceded to Saka.

Enzo Le Fee wriggled around looking for a pass but was robbed by Rice 40 yards from goal exposing his defence. Eberechi Eze dinked to the feet of Mikel Merino who bounced to Saka. The England winger beat Robin Roefs at his near post.

Rice, Eze and Trossard were finding space in more advanced positions threatening to unlock a second as Martin Zubimendi rattled the bar. Trossard delivered a rocket of a finish, cutting inside from the left wing to set up what should have been a win.

“We dominated the game, but they committed 6-7 players to our box and we could defend the action better and conceded the goal,” said Arteta. “We have to praise the opposition. They are unbeaten here for a reason. They are hungry.”

“Til the end…” was a club motto that carried Sunderland to a promotion via the play offs last season, and its spirit endured through Brobbey’s goal.

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Granit Xhaka summed up Sunderland’s spirit (PA)

Also in the way Ballard threw himself into a block on Merino’s shot in the 97th minute.

Intertwined in the history of both clubs was Grant Xhaka, seven seasons with the Gunners. He recalls when Arteta arrived in their first team meeting and said the place was “chaos” in a team meeting. There was an element of that in the finish here.

But also a sliver of encouragement at the way the Gunners had steadied themselves, and fought back from behind. The kind of blip that this ultra-competitive Premier League throws up.