Arsenal 3-0 Sunderland: Zubimendi and Gyokeres goals put Gunners nine puts clear
Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres goals help Arsenal beat Sunderland 3-0 to move nine point clear at the top of the Premier League
Arsenal 3-0 Sunderland: Report by Layth Yousif
Martin Zubimendi’s first half strike was supplemented by a brace by substitute Viktor Gyokeres after the break, as Arsenal beat Sunderland to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Zubimendi drilled a low effort in off the post to relieve the tension somewhat in North London. prior to Gyokeres hammering home to seal a vital victory, that once again underlined the Gunners title credentials.
Insert Arteta quote
On a grey and intermittently rainy winter’s afternoon in Islington, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were still missing from the Arsenal squad but Jurrien Timber was fit to start.
The Netherlands defender was joined in the starting XI by David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus, as Mikel Arteta made five changes from the midweek League Cup win over Chelsea.
While Kepa, Piero Hincapie, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyokeres all dropped to the bench.
Regis Le Bris opted for the same Sunderland XI that won 3-0 against Burnley at the Stadium of Light last Monday.
In an opening that contained plenty of endeavour but little by way of end product both teams blustered for control of the opening half an hour.
On 29 minutes, candidate for Player of the Season, Declan Rice fired narrowly wide with a stinging shot that looked to be millimetres nearer entering the net upon every further viewing.
Four minutes later Jesus attempted a low drive from the left hand side of the box that Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs gathered.
However, the home side’s growing domination could not be halted, as Arsenal eventually went 1-0 up three minutes before the interval.
The dangerous Zubimendi firing in off Roelfs right-hand post to put the Gunners ahead, as the stadium erupted in as much relief and delight.
The lead was nearly doubled moments later as Jesus raced through before tangling with the Sunderland backline, with the home support appealing for a penalty. VAR was called for, with the technology ruling that the Brazil attacker was marginally offside on the halfway line before running onto goal.
Sunderland came out with renewed vigour, forcing a super save from Raya, before an outstanding covering tackle from Gabriel denied Hume, just as the the Black Cats’ captain was about to pull the trigger.
Arsenal swept up the other end, with Havertz firing wide shortly afterwards, with the home side knowing a slender one goal lead would not be enough against a determined Sunderland side, albeit without former Gunner and captain Granit Xhaka.
Arteta threw on Gyokeres and Martinelli, to replace Jesus and Madueke on the hour mark. The Swedish striker was to make an impact a mere six minutes later, thudding the ball home on 66 minutes to double to the lead, as the stadium erupted once again.
It was such a powerful strike that was not so much about finesse, as raw power, rather like a blacksmith hammering hot metal on an anvil, to make it 2-0.
Finally the team and crowd could relax somewhat, such had been the tangible tension prior to Gyokeres goal, as the fans suddenly remembered they had a trip to Wembley to sing about, which they gleefully as the home side continued to dominate, but now without evident fear.
The Gunners were to extend their lead shortly before the final whistle when Gyokeres grabbed his second of a productive afternoon, to make the final scoreline 3-0, to make it 13 goals of an increasingly production season, as Arsenal moved nine points clear.
Pressure? What pressure?
