Key Events So Far
- ARSENAL ARE RUNNING AWAY WITH IT! A swift attacking move inv...
- GIROUD AGAIN AND SURELY ARSENAL HAVE WRAPPED IT UP! Ozil tak...
- GIROUD IS DECISIVE OFF THE BENCH! Alexis starts the move wit...
- GOAL! Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal
- DEFOE TIES IT UP! Cech dives the wrong way as the striker tu...
- Arsenal denied penalty, Sunderland awarded one!
- CHANCE! Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain drags shot wide
- SECOND HALF: Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal
- HALF-TIME: Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal
- CHANCE! Mesut Ozil wastes golden opportunity
- CHANCE! Alex Iwobi curls shot over the bar
- CHANCE! Patrick van Aanholt curls free-kick just wide
- GOOOOAAAL! ARSENAL LEAD! Oxlade-Chamberlain darts past Watmo...
- CHANCE! Pickford saves from Ozil
- KICK-OFF: Sunderland v Arsenal
- Ramsey returns
- Team news
5. Sunderland aren't down just yet
Remember that Derby County team of 2007/08? They had five points by now - this Sunderland team have two.
It all looks very bleak for the Black Cats and boss David Moyes.
Yes, today against Arsenal was never circled as a home banker in the manager’s diary, but following a decent enough opening 20 minutes they collapsed thereafter never looking anywhere worthy of anything other than another defeat.
Moyes is in real trouble - they remain the only club in the __football League without a win and the truth is they don’t look anywhere near getting one.
The home faithful seem resigned and who can blame them.
4. No Xhaka, no problem
Wenger could’ve been forgiven for being a little concerned when he pondered his midfield options ahead of this lunchtime’s game.
With Granit Xhaka suspended, Santi Cazorla injured and Aaron Ramsey not yet back to full fitness, Wenger was uncharacteristically light in the middle of the park.
But he needn’t have worried - the duo of Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny dominated the midfield third winning the ball back and distributing it further forward to Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mesut Ozil and Alex Iwobi effectively and consistently all afternoon.
3. Kone must earn his money
You could argue Sunderland’s biggest signing this summer was a player they already had.
Lamine Kone was linked with a move away throughout the transfer window before he finally put pen to paper on a highly-lucrative new deal worth a cool £90,000-per-week.
It’s now high time he earned it.
The big Ivorian was caught ball watching for Sanchez’s first goal and was given the runaround all day by the electric Chilean, which included him bringing him down for what should’ve been a Gunners penalty.
Sunderland need all the help they can get in their current plight, especially from a player being so handsomely rewarded.
2. Why have one No.9 when can have two
Such is the class of the man Alexis can virtually play anywhere in the offensive half of the field.
The Chilean was an absolute menace against Sunderland, buzzing all over the field, at the heart of everything Arsenal did well.
While you always expect him to be a focal point and the principle attacking threat, he also linked play and held up the ball superbly too.
But just when you thought Sanchez had made the Gunners’ troublesome striking role his own, Giroud comes on and shows he isn’t going anywhere yet.
1. Oxlade-Chamberlain may FINALLY be fulfilling his potential
Arsenal fans have long been waiting for Oxlade-Chamberlain to really arrive , but after two goals in midweek and another excellent display here that time may finally be here.
Given the chance to start by Theo Walcott’s injury the England man grabbed it with both hands, excelling throughout.
His cross for Sanchez’s opener was a beauty and his speed of thought and movement gave the Black Cats back four fits all afternoon long.
From both an Arsenal and England point of view it’s great to see.
Sunderland 1-4 Arsenal: 5 things we learned
Sunderland are officially the worst Premier League team in history - and Arsenal made them look every inch like it with a good old fashioned hiding at the Stadium of Light.
Bar an all-too-brief six minutes in the second half the Gunners comprehensively outclassed the winless Black Cats to leave them rooted to the very foot of the table.
With two points after 10 games no team has EVER started worse.
And David Moyes’ team looked every bit like relegation certainties as Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud both helped themselves to braces as the Gunners moved top with ease. Here are 5 things we learned.
FULL-TIME: Sunderland 1-4 Arsenal
Sunderland have made the worst start to a Premier League season in history. They still haven’t won a game and they find themselves bottom of the table with two points after 10 games.
At the other end of the table are Arsenal - for now. The Gunners top the table thanks to goals from Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman came off the bench to score a double and propel Arsenal back in front after they gave away a penalty and found themselves level with Sunderland.
The pressure mounts on David Moyes, while Arsene Wenger continues to enjoy a good run of form.
And that will do it from the Stadium of Light as Arsenal move provisionally top with their fourth away win in five games. Defoe gave Sunderland brief hope from the spot, but a double from Giroud off the bench set the Gunners on their way. The Black Cats have now made the worst-ever start to a league season after 10 games with only two points. That's all the time we've got, thanks for tuning in!
Dilibodji plays a good ball into Defoe at the edge of the box, but the striker, under pressure from Koscielny, can't keep it alive. Down at the other end, Alexis nearly bursts through, with Ramsey firing a rebound over the bar.
Into stoppage time now and it's nothing but a formality as Arsenal pass the ball around against a side that has clearly given up the ghost. Great recovery here from the Gunners.
Life is great when you’re winning.
Happy with the three points in the bag, Arsenal’s official account found time to troll a lone Tottenham fan in the Sunderland crowd.
Meow.
We wonder if he's enjoyed his afternoon... 😅 #SFCvAFC 1-4 (87) https://t.co/D6TXcvw6DM
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) Sat Oct 29 13:17:40 +0000 2016 Overall Possession Ratio
- SunderlandKey color for Sunderland
- ArsenalKey color for Arsenal
Possession
With the Stadium of Light about half-empty now, Arsenal continue to look for a fifth goal. Giroud shows great control to bring down a tricky pass, but he can't follow it up and continue to momentum of the attack.
Maitland-Niles is given a late run out in place of Coquelin.
Van Aanholt has a problem here which requires him to leave the pitch in order to allow the game to continue. Less than five minutes to go at the Stadium of Light and this one is done and dusted.
Watmore's run to win a penalty seems an age away now. He's replaced by Gooch.
Unbelievably, Giroud's first two touches of the __football made the score 2-1 and 3-1. There was brief hope for Sunderland once, but now, it's a matter of damage limitation as the fans begin to file out of the ground.
Gibbs is the latest player to be booked here.
Ramsey is thrown on for Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Great response from Arsenal to going behind. Wenger reacted quickly with the Giroud change, and the Frenchman has changed the game. To be fair, Arsenal, would have been kicking themselves had they failed to win this.
GOAL! Sunderland 1-4 Arsenal
That’s the final nail in the coffin. Just when it seemed Sunderland were launching a comeback, Arsenal shifted throw the gears and blew the opposition away.
Alexis Sanchez gets his second, showing great feet to get the ball out from underneath him and past Jordan Pickford from close-range.
Sunderland fans streaming towards the exits.
ARSENAL ARE RUNNING AWAY WITH IT! A swift attacking move involving Elneny, Ramsey and GIbbs sees the full-back set up for a low shot which was saved, but Alexis picked up the pieces from close range and scored!
Seconds on the pitch, and he fed Alexis in close for the finish.
GIROUD AGAIN AND SURELY ARSENAL HAVE WRAPPED IT UP! Ozil takes a corner after his free-kick deflected over the byline, and the Frenchman steals a march on Djilobodji to flick a header over the hapless Pickford.
Something of a relatively rare thing for Ozil this season - an assist!
GOAL! Sunderland 1-3 Arsenal
What an impact. Olivier Giroud scores his second and Arsenal’s third.
The Frenchman is making the most of this opportunity. He gets in front of Kone to glance Ozil’s corner past Pickford and into the top right hand corner.
Game over.
ARSENAL SHOULD DO BETTER! Sunderland are carved open down their right flank again as the ball comes in for Ozil, who doesn't get enough on his finish with Alexis missing the rebound at the back post.
Overall Possession Ratio
- SunderlandKey color for Sunderland
- ArsenalKey color for Arsenal
Possession
If I'm not mistaken, that goal was scored with Giroud's first touch of the game. Sending a message to Wenger for a place in the XI as he nears a return to full fitness. No doubt that the boss has taken notice.
GIROUD IS DECISIVE OFF THE BENCH! Alexis starts the move with a burst through the centre, before feeding Gibbs on the overlap. The cross comes in and is volleyed in with some precision by the big striker!