Arsenal 3-0 Sunderland

Two second half goals from Viktor Gyokeres, after Martin Zubimendi superbly gave us the lead, were enough to make it four wins in a row in all competitions and take us nine points clear at the top of the table overnight.

After an evenly contested opening 40 minutes, Zubimendi broke the deadlock with a well-taken, drilled effort low in off the post. 

It was by no means all one-way traffic though, with Sunderland giving as good as they got until Gyokeres came off the bench to score our second midway through the second period, smashing home from a Kai Havertz pass.

Gyokeres sealed the win deep in injury time, sliding in from Gabriel Martinelli’s pass on the break.

Even early exchanges

We could have been ahead within the opening 30 seconds. Leandro Trossard twisted and turned on the right byline, lifted his cross into the middle where Kai Havertz rose unmarked, but headed wide.

Havertz was then involved at the other end. Brian Brobbey shot first time when the ball dropped to him following a free-kick into the box. Havertz was there to block with David Raya out of the game, though replays suggested Brobbey’s shot was off target anyway. 

Trai Hume sliced a clearance just over his own bar from a Noni Madueke inswinging cross before Declan Rice let fly with a fearsome drive from outside the area that just fizzed wide of the post, but generally the visitors were doing well to limit our chances, while not just sitting deep themselves.

Zubi’s zipper

The game needed a moment of magic to open it up and late in the half Zubimendi duly supplied it. Trossard rolled a pass to the Spanish midfielder outside the area, and Zubimendi showed superb technique to drill a low shot, zipping off the wet turf and in off the post.

It was a wonderful, crisp finish from our summer signing, taking his tally to the season to five in the Premier League. 

Moments later we were awarded a penalty when Jesus was bundled over after rounding the keeper in the box. The assistant’s flag went up though, and after a VAR check, Jesus was indeed shown to be marginally offside as he ran from the halfway line. 

Havertz finished the half with a curling effort from the edge of the box, that sailed just over the angle of post and crossbar, with goalkeeper Robin Roefs rooted to the spot.

Gyokeres makes sure

We had certainly sparked into life following Zubimendi’s goal, but it was Sunderland who had the first couple of chances after the interval. 

Chemsdine Talbi curved his shot low towards the far post, but Raya got enough of a hand on it to turn it away and William Saliba hacked clear. Gabriel had to perfectly time his challenge in the box soon afterwards to prevent an equaliser. 

Our defenders certainly knew they were in a game, as Sunderland kept up the intensity early in the second half. 

We needed the second goal, and after some patient build up play, Gyokeres was the man to supply it.

The Swedish striker had only been on the pitch for a few minutes, before holding off his man and firing low inside the near post. Leandro Trossard and deserves great credit for his role in the goal, breaking the lines with his pass into the feet of Havertz, who supplied the final pass to Gyokeres to finish well. 

Fellow sub Eberechi Eze shot just wide after running onto a Declan Rice throughball, before Gyokeres scored goal number 13 of his debut season, being in the right place to convert from close range after a breakaway.

Our 21st clean sheet in all competitions incidentally, is more than we had in the whole of last season. 

What’s next

We have another midweek Premier League game to look forward to. We head to west London to take on Brentford on Thursday, before coming back to Emirates Stadium next Sunday to host League One side Wigan Athletic in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup. 

Read more Gyokeres “hungry” to keep goals flowing

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