Sunderland are unbeaten at home so far this season
Arsenal have, for much of this season, appeared to be an indomitable force.
They arrived at Sunderland on Saturday with aspirations of extending their winning streak to 11 consecutive matches and securing a club-record ninth successive clean sheet.
A victory would have propelled them eight points clear at the summit of the league table, but Sunderland, their opponents at the Stadium of Light, had other plans.
Regis le Bris’ side, initially tipped for relegation, have defied expectations upon their return to the Premier League and currently occupy a coveted European spot.
They deployed every tactic at their disposal to disrupt and ultimately stun the league leaders, culminating in a 2-2 draw that resonated far beyond Wearside.
Dan Ballard’s first-half goal marked the first time Arsenal had conceded since September. Although the hosts subsequently fell behind 2-1, a dramatic injury-time equaliser from Brian Brobbey ignited jubilant celebrations both on the field and in the stands.
From strategically repositioning advertising hoardings to “creating chaos,” here’s how Sunderland orchestrated such an impressive result.
Sunderland dramatically end Arsenal’s winning run
The advertising boards around the pitch were moved in to give Arsenal players less space for long throws
Arsenal, traditionally known for their fluid, attacking style, have adopted a more direct approach this season, with set-pieces proving particularly fruitful. Long throws have also emerged as an increasingly potent weapon.
To mitigate the threat posed by these throw-ins, Sunderland strategically repositioned the advertising boards closer to the pitch, effectively limiting the space available to Arsenal players when launching the ball.
“We tried to find the details to win the game,” Le Bris acknowledged after the 2-2 draw, when questioned about the tactic.
“They are really strong on set-pieces, we are good as well, and this threat was really important for this game and in the end it was balanced.”
Indeed, the game was more balanced, with Sunderland restricting Arsenal to just two corners – matching their own tally.
But the strategy extended beyond merely stifling Arsenal’s strengths; it encompassed Sunderland’s own approach to the game.
Led by their influential captain, Granit Xhaka, who seemed to relish disrupting his former team, Sunderland adopted an aggressive and courageous tackling style, unsettling their opponents from the outset.
Even after Arsenal seemingly gained control with two second-half goals following Ballard’s opener, Sunderland surged forward with unwavering belief in their ability to secure an equaliser.
That equaliser arrived courtesy of an acrobatic finish from Brobbey in the fourth minute of added time, following a clever chip into the penalty area that was headed towards the edge of the six-yard box.
This marks yet another instance of Sunderland reaping rewards for their relentless determination, with Saturday’s late leveller being their fifth goal scored in the 90th minute or later – more than any other Premier League team.
“There are a lot of games like this in the Premier League right now,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta conceded.
“We conceded a goal in a manner we knew was one of their biggest strengths. They do that really well.
“After that I think we reacted well. We scored the first goal, then the second and the game was dominated. But in any moment, they just need a foul or a long throw, a direct ball to create that chaos.”
Sunderland executed their game plan effectively, and the statistics underscore the magnitude of their achievement.
Brobbey’s equaliser was the first result-altering goal Arsenal have conceded in the 90th minute or later of a Premier League match since September 2024, when John Stones scored in the eighth minute of added time to secure a 2-2 draw for Manchester City.
Ballard’s opener marked the end of Arsenal’s impressive defensive record, as it was the first goal they had conceded in 812 minutes across all competitions, since Nick Woltemade’s strike for Newcastle in September.
This was also the first time since May 2023 that the Gunners have failed to defeat a promoted side in a Premier League fixture, ending a 14-game winning streak against such teams.
Furthermore, Arsenal conceded more than once in a match for the first time this season in all competitions, with 40% of their total goals conceded coming against Sunderland in this game (2/5).
“They never stopped trying, asking questions of Arsenal,” former Sunderland striker Darren Bent observed.
“They kept making Arsenal defend and when the chance came they took it.”
Dan Ballard got his second Premier League goal of the season
The contributions of former Arsenal players Xhaka and Ballard perhaps best exemplified Sunderland’s tenacious spirit.
Xhaka marshalled the midfield, dictating the tempo, while Ballard not only scored the opening goal past David Raya, but also provided the assist for the equaliser and made a crucial block in the dying seconds to deny Arsenal a winning goal.
Ballard began his professional career with the Gunners, having progressed through the club’s academy since the age of eight, but never made a first-team appearance before joining Sunderland in 2022.
“It’s a good morale boost to show we can go against a really top team – probably one of the best in Europe at the minute – and delighted with that,” Ballard told Match of the Day after Saturday’s game.
“But it is just one point and we’ve got a lot of work to do to achieve our goal of staying up this year.”
The draw preserves Sunderland’s unbeaten home record and leaves them with 19 points from 11 games, placing them comfortably above the relegation zone, nine points clear of the bottom three.
“Sunderland went physical today but within the laws of the game, apart from one moment in the first half when Dan Ballard challenged Mikel Merino in the box,” Match of the Day pundit and former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott commented.
“They were well organised and I didn’t think they’d be able to keep it up for 90 minutes.
“There’s a reason why Sunderland will be fine in this league. The Stadium of Light is not an easy place to play football.
“It was the most rattled I’ve seen Gabriel and William Saliba this season.”
Perhaps there is a valuable lesson for title-contending teams on lengthy winning runs to be reminded of their vulnerability.
The Gunners have enjoyed a stellar season thus far, navigating a significant injury list while establishing a foundation from which they can mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title.
The upcoming international break offers an opportunity to regroup and allow some injured players to recover before they face Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday, 23 November.
“Arsenal won’t draw as many as they did last year. If anything it shows resilience to come back the way they did,” Walcott stated.
“Arsenal did almost everything right up until the last few minutes.”
Arteta, too, is refraining from overanalysing the result, opting to maintain a broader perspective.
“We won the last 10 games, not conceded goals, we have seven players injured and the team has been phenomenal in performances and results, so let’s keep going,” the manager affirmed.
“We’ve had some very tough games as well. Let’s get some players back and go again.”
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