Sunderland 1-4 Arsenal player ratings: Who was YOUR man of the match at the Stadium of Light?

Super sub Olivier Giroud laid down a marker to Arsene Wenger after firing Arsenal to victory against Sunderland.

The Frenchman, who is yet to start a game all season, came off the bench and fired home with his first touch to restore the Gunners' lead in the second half.

And minutes later he bagged his second with a looping header to emphatically confirm the win.

Alexis Sanchez, the man starting up front in place of Giroud, opened the scoring with a bullet header in the first half and also rounded off proceedings on 77 minutes.

Jermain Defoe had looked to have given Sunderland a chance with his strike from the penalty spot.

Here is how everyone rated during the game...

Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his side
Sanchez opened the scoring for Arsenal
Olivier Giroud of Arsenal heads to score his team
Giroud's looping header sealed proceedings late on

Sunderland

Pickford 4

No chance for opener. Booming kick was best weapon.

Jones 4

Recalled but struggled as Arsenal passed around him.

O'Shea 4

Limped off with another injury. Looked his age.

Kone 4

Lost Sanchez for header. Cash in in January?

Arsenal
Lamine Kone seemed to be second to every ball

Van Aanholt 4

Nowhere near blocking the cross for opener.

Ndong 4

Booked. A passenger ambling around the midfield against class opponents.

Rodwell 4

Sunderland don't win in the league when he starts. 33 games and rising.

Khazri 4

Booked. Gave the ball away and looked unfit.

Khazri had a quiet afternoon

Pienaar 4

Booked. Lucky to stay on pitch after two bookable offences in first half.

Watmore 4

Won the penalty to get Sunderland back in the game.

Defoe 5

No service. But converted his penalty.

Subs

Djilobodji (O'Shea 42) Booked 3

Januzaj (Pienaar 70) 4

Gooch (Watmore 84)

Jermain Defoe of Sunderland converts the penalty to score his team
Defoe gave Sunderland hope from the penalty spot

Arsenal

Cech 6

Booked. Conceded penalty as Watmore charged through.

Bellerin 7

Lightning quick up wing and wasted not time passing out of defence.

Koscielny 7

Won all the aimless high balls punted his way.

Mustafi 6

Caught out by Watmore to let him in on goal for the penalty.

Jermain Defoe of Sunderland (C) and Shkodran Mustafi of Arsenal (L)
Defoe challenges Mustafi

Gibbs 7

Booked. Added an attacking threat up the left wing.

Elneny 7

Did the dirty work to launch Arsenal's possession game.

Coquelin 7

Got stuck in to disrupt meek attacks.

Oxlade-Chamberlain 7

Whipped in a perfect cross to set up the goal.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates the Arsenal goal
Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates Arsenal's first goal

Ozil 7

Buzzed around but missed his best chance.

Iwobi 7

Always a danger but sloppy shooting.

Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal (left) scores his sides fourth goal
Sanchez rounded off proceedings at the end

Sanchez 8 MOTM

Booked. Wonderful header to open the scoring killed the game off with his second.

Subs:

Giroud (Iwobi 69) 8

Ramsey (Oxlade-CHamberlain 76) 7

Maitland-Niles (Coquelin 89)

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