Arsenal extended their remarkable winning run to nine Premier League matches after David Raya’s penalty save and Bruno Guimaraes’ stunning goal secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Sunderland.
The defending champions were forced to withstand sustained pressure from Sunderland before their goalkeeper produced the decisive moment of the match.
With the game still goalless after almost an hour, Sunderland were awarded a penalty after Ezri Konsa was judged to have fouled Dan Ballard during a corner.
Enzo Le Fee stepped up but Raya reacted sharply to his effort, stretching to divert the penalty onto the post.
The save proved crucial, as Arsenal took advantage of the momentum just 121 seconds later.
Guimaraes, introduced from the bench, produced a superb finish from the edge of the area, curling the ball into the net off the underside of the crossbar to give Arsenal the lead.
The Brazilian’s strike was his first Premier League goal for Arsenal since his £75 million summer move from Newcastle United and came after he had recovered from a minor hamstring injury.
Defensive resilience
Arsenal were not at their fluent best but their defensive organisation once again proved decisive.
The victory extended their winning streak to nine Premier League games, a feat the club had not achieved since the 2003-04 season.
Raya’s intervention was particularly important, with the save marking only his second penalty stop in the Premier League.
Former Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who signed Raya during his time at the club, praised the goalkeeper’s reaction.
“This penalty save is exceptional. He gets out so quick,” Frank said, describing Raya as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown also credited the goalkeeper and the defence for keeping Arsenal in the contest.
“They have weathered the storm and the goalkeeper steps up and makes a wonderful save,” he said.
Manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged that his team had been forced to endure difficult spells before securing the three points.
“We knew we would have to go through some difficult and chaotic moments to have the right to win this game,” he said. “But we have done it.”
Arteta questions penalty decision
Despite the victory, Arteta was unhappy with the decision to award Sunderland the penalty.
The Arsenal manager argued that Ballard had pulled Konsa down during the corner and criticised the decision despite a VAR review upholding the referee’s call.
“It’s a judo roll from the opponent. Ezri does nothing. Just watch it,” Arteta said.
He called for greater responsibility from officials and VAR, insisting that such decisions could have a major impact on matches.
However, former England midfielder Karen Carney and ex-Arsenal defender Keown noted that officials had been instructed this season to take a stricter approach to grappling during set pieces.
Former Wales defender Ashley Williams, meanwhile, agreed with Arteta that the incident should not have resulted in a penalty.
Guimaraes makes immediate impact
Guimaraes’ introduction ultimately changed the game, with the midfielder making his mark against his former club Newcastle’s arch-rivals.
After struggling to establish himself in the Arsenal starting line-up since his move, the Brazilian used his opportunity to produce a spectacular first goal.
“That goal is about personality and character,” Keown said.
Guimaraes said he was determined to build a new chapter of his career at Arsenal despite his successful spell at Newcastle.
“It was a beautiful goal. Everyone knows my past, I had an amazing history at Newcastle,” he said.
“But now I’m trying to create a new history here and I start with the right foot.”
Arsenal’s latest victory demonstrated their ability to win even when their attacking football is not at its most fluent, with Raya and Guimaraes providing the decisive moments at opposite ends of the pitch.
