Bruno Guimaraes scored a stunning goal two minutes after David Raya had saved a penalty as Arsenal beat Sunderland 2-0 to move above Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
The Black Cats had the chance to go in front when Ezri Konsa was penalised for holding Dan Ballard in the second half, a decision which enraged Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, but Raya brilliantly tipped Enzo Le Fee’s spot kick onto the post.
Just 121 seconds later, Guimaraes, whose every touch had been booed by the home fans due to his Newcastle connections, crashed a stunning strike in off the underside of the crossbar from outside the Sunderland box for his first Arsenal goal.
Arsenal had to withstand late pressure from the home side, with Raya saving well from Nordi Mukiele, but they made the result safe when Bukayo Saka scored a stoppage-time penalty after Reinildo Mandava was shown a second yellow card for hauling him down.
The victory, Arsenal’s fourth in a row in the Premier League and sixth in all competitions, maintains their strong start to the campaign and puts the champions three points above Manchester City, who face Manchester United live on Sky Sports on Sunday.
For Sunderland, the defeat is made all the more painful by the identity of the player who opened the scoring, coming so soon after they appeared poised to strike first from the spot. They remain on four points, the latest side to be dispatched by Mikel Arteta’s men.
The key moments
- 13: CHANCE! Saka fails to connect properly with Rice’s ball over the top and misses a big chance to open the scoring
- 16: DANGER! A wicked free-kick delivery from Xhaka is met by Dan Ballard but he can’t quite steer his effort on target
- 31: OVER! Odegaard cuts the ball back to Havertz after intricate build-up but the Arsenal forward blazes over
- 33: SAVE! Roefs tips an acrobatic effort from Havertz over the bar as Sunderland continue to hold firm
- 56: PENALTY SAVED! Raya leaps to his left and brilliantly saves Le Fee’s low penalty
- 58: GOAL! Guimaraes guides a stunning finish into the top corner to silence the Sunderland fans
- 85: SAVE! Raya to the rescue again for Arsenal as he saves Mukiele’s close-range effort
- 90+7: GOAL! Saka’s penalty squirms past Robin Roefs after Reinildo’s red card for hauling him down
Arteta rages at Sunderland penalty call
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to TNT Sports: “It’s a huge win but it could have been something very different.
“I’m so upset. It’s unacceptable (Sunderland’s award of a penalty). This can change the course of a season, the championship, and it’s not acceptable.
“I’ve seen it 10 times to make sure because I watched it live and I said it’s not possible that it’s going to be a penalty because it’s a judo role, that’s what it is. It cannot happen.
“It’s not a penalty in any case, in any context, in any league.”
Is Raya the world’s best goalkeeper?
Sky Sports’ Nick Wright:
Guimaraes didn’t hesitate when asked after the game if he sees David Raya as the best goalkeeper in the world. “Definitely,” he said.
The midfielder’s sensational goal completed the two-minute turnaround but it was Raya who made it possible.
Arteta was adamant the spot kick should never have been awarded. But Raya’s sole focus was to stop it from going in. Le Fee, who scored a penalty last weekend, struck it well. Raya, though, showed his athleticism, diving low to his left to make the save.
It was a brilliant piece of goalkeeping and there were plenty of other examples over the course of the 90 minutes at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland are about as physical as opponents come but he dominated his box, claiming crosses and exuding calm.
His save to deny Mukiele, following a fabulous centre by Granit Xhaka, when Arsenal were still only a goal up, was another crucial intervention. And he was straight back up on his feet to scramble away the follow-up. Raya is always alert to danger.
He had to settle for a place on the bench with Spain at the World Cup. But there can be little doubting his status as the Premier League’s best, if not the world’s, and his value to his team-mates and manager is abundantly clear.
He was Arsenal’s difference-maker – and not for the first time.
Guimaraes: A beautiful moment for me
Arsenal’s Bruno Guimaraes to TNT Sports: “It’s unbelievable. I feel very good.
“Everyone knows I had a difficult start with injuries in a short time but I’m glad to be back, to play.
“I scored a beautiful goal. It’s a beautiful moment for me and my family and I’m very happy.
“A beautiful goal in a very good place. Everyone knows my past. I had an amazing history at Newcastle but now I’m trying to create a new history here and I’ve started in the right way.”
