By peter.
Arsenal’s impressive 10-match winning streak across all competitions came to a halt with Brian Brobbey’s dramatic stoppage-time goal, earning Sunderland a 2-2 draw on Saturday.
The Gunners had kept clean sheets in their previous eight games, but this result only stretched their Premier League lead over Manchester City—who face Liverpool on Sunday—to seven points.
Dan Ballard broke Arsenal’s defensive shutout streak, which dated back to September 28, by powering Sunderland ahead.
A win would have propelled the newly promoted side into second place, but stunning strikes from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard flipped the script for Mikel Arteta’s team after the break.
They couldn’t seal the victory, though, as Brobbey overpowered the usually dominant Gabriel Magalhaes to volley home Ballard’s flick-on.
The dropped points offer a timely lift for Arsenal’s title challengers before the big clash at the Etihad.
Manchester City and Liverpool have ruled the Premier League for the last decade, and both will take encouragement from these unusual vulnerabilities in Arsenal’s armor.
Liverpool remain fourth, now trailing the leaders by eight points.
Sunderland entered the game unbeaten at the Stadium of Light in their top-flight comeback, and their aggressive style clearly rattled the visitors.
Ex-Arsenal skipper Granit Xhaka thrived in disrupting his old club.
The table-toppers have leaned heavily on set-piece prowess to surge toward a first title in 22 years—but here, they were undone by one.
Ballard smashed the ball into the net past David Raya on 36 minutes after meeting Nordi Mukiele’s header from a free-kick.
Declan Rice’s long-range free-kick was Arsenal’s only shot on target in a quiet first half.
They returned with more intent after halftime.
Rice intercepted Enzo Le Fée in midfield to spark the equalizer, with Mikel Merino setting up Saka for a fierce low drive with his weaker right foot past Robin Roefs.
Martin Zubimendi struck the crossbar as Arsenal turned up the heat, and it paid off in style on 74 minutes.
Trossard exploited Riccardo Calafiori’s dummy run to create room, then rifled a shot into the top corner.
Sunderland displayed the resilience behind their strong start to life back in the Premier League after eight years away.
Ballard outjumped Zubimendi to a delivery, and Brobbey combined power and finesse to shrug off Gabriel and hook the ball past Raya.
Ballard wasn’t done, heroically blocking Merino’s follow-up after Roefs saved Calafiori’s header.
The draw moves Sunderland level with Liverpool and Tottenham in fifth.
#PremierLeague #Arsenal #Sunderland #TitleRace
