Sunderland “found a way” to earn late draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal

Local TV Sport

Daniel Wales reports from the Stadium of Light as Sunderland scored a late equaliser through Brian Brobbey to earn a point against Premier League leaders Arsenal, with Régis Le Bris praising his side’s character to go ahead in the first half but then fight back after falling behind. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was disappointed his team did not hold on to win.

Transcript

00:00Sunderland maintained their unbeaten home record in the Premier League this season

00:04as they snatched a late draw against league leaders Arsenal

00:07thanks to striker Brian Brobby prodding the ball past Davit Raya in injury time

00:12just as Arsenal looked to be coming away with another victory.

00:18Arsenal were dominant on the ball from the off

00:20but it was Sunderland who were the side leading at the break

00:24with their spirit and determination once again showing its effectiveness

00:28even against a side with the prowess of Arsenal.

00:32Sunderland found it more difficult when the visitors upped the tempo in the second half though

00:36but the Black Cats will take heart from the fact that they once again kept going till the end

00:43and ultimately achieved another precious point.

00:46Arsenal will rue missing several chances that if taken would have put the game beyond Sunderland

00:51but as they have done on numerous occasions this season so far

00:55Regis Labriche's side remained resolute and they punished the Gunners late on

01:00meaning that the spoils were shed by two sides competing at the top end of the Premier League at present.

01:06Let's head back through what was an entertaining match here at the Stadium of Light.

01:11The Sunderland crowd were up for the occasion following the club's remembrance day display

01:18that spanned across all of the stands of the Stadium of Light.

01:22Arsenal though attempted to assert their authority early on by applying pressure to the Sunderland goal

01:28but they were hit with a sucker punch when Dan Ballard burst into the box

01:32and lashed the ball into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.

01:37This goal certainly caught Arsenal off guard and it was the Black Cats who were ahead at the break.

01:43Arsenal came out in the second half with renewed urgency though

01:47and soon they were level through Bukayo Saka who latched onto Mikel Moreno's pass to fire past Robin Roofs.

01:54The Gunners were not finished yet though.

01:55Leandro Trossard made it 2-1 with a strike from range that Roofs could not keep out.

02:01Mikel Arteta's side looked to be heading for yet another victory this season

02:05but in the dying minutes of stoppage time at the Stadium of Light

02:09Brian Broby beat Gabriel to the ball to prod it past the oncoming David Raya.

02:15The Stadium of Light erupted with Regis Lebris praising his side's character following the full-time whistle.

02:22Yes, it shows that the team has a really strong character

02:29and the face that we can change the dynamic of a game with just one decision,

02:39good connection with our crowd and it happens once again.

02:43You have to do a masterclass otherwise it's impossible to win something.

02:48Regis, yesterday I asked you about how important character could be in a game like this

02:52and, Bridgen, on what you've just said about players giving their all for this club,

02:55was that a demonstration of just how strong their character is?

02:58Yes, I think so. They are really well connected.

03:01I think we are a bit on the edge, but it's the life in the Premier League, I think.

03:06But we found a way to change the dynamic and it's positive this way.

03:15Yeah, obviously the last feeling, it's disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points

03:21and, yeah, we have to navigate through a really tough game. We knew that, very disruptive.

03:28We have to deal with situations, obviously, that is difficult to deal with. They do it really well.

03:35We consider a goal that is not in our standards, but after that I think the team reacted really well,

03:40showed a lot of personality and courage. They scored the first goal, they scored the second goal.

03:45We have totally dominated the game and then, yeah, you have to rely on defending the box

03:50when they start to commit six, seven players there. And it can be from a direct play,

03:54it can be from a throw-in, it can be from any situation. We can defend the action better

03:59and today we haven't done it, we conceded the goal. And then in the last minutes,

04:03we have another massive chance with Ricky and Mikel to win it, which I think we deserve to do.

04:09We are now at the final international break of the calendar year and Sunderland will go into it

04:14with the wind still very much in their sails. Arsenal themselves have not been blown off course by

04:19this result, but they would have preferred to have headed back to the capital with all three points.

04:24Not to be though. Sunderland are making their home a fortress this season and no one has come here

04:31and won in the top flight so far. If leaders Arsenal could not manage it, then who can?

04:36Well, that remains to be seen, but Sunderland are doing everything right to maintain their top flight

04:41status this campaign.

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