Arsenal maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season with a hard-fought 2-0 win away at Sunderland on Saturday evening.
The champions were given a serious test of their credentials by the Black Cats, who, after a tight first half, were given a golden opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot in the 56th minute. However, David Raya pulled off a stunning save low to his left to deny Enzo Le Fee.
And just two minutes later, Arsenal cashed in on Raya’s heroics, with half-time substitute and ex-Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes dispatching a wonderful effort off the underside of the crossbar against his former derby rivals.
Sunderland continued to push, but kept running up against an Arsenal defence that has become nigh on impossible to break down under Mikel Arteta. They were then hit on the break at the death, with Reinildo Mandava sent off for dragging down Bukayo Saka in the box — the England star converting the resulting spot-kick.
Two minutes of champions
It feels a little cliché, especially this early into a season, but Arsenal really did show why they’re defending Premier League champions during two second-half minutes at the Stadium of Light.
The Gunners’ backline was given a serious examination here, which we’ll get to momentarily, but their single moment of glaring failure came when Ezri Konsa dragged Dan Ballard down inside the box from a long throw-in.
Le Fee scored three penalties last season and stepped up with confidence once again here. To his credit, he put the ball very close to Raya’s bottom-left corner.
However, Le Fee came up against the best goalkeeper in the Premier League right now, and the Spaniard pulled off one of the best penalty saves you’re likely to see, to the tune of 0.92 goals prevented on that effort alone.
Moments later, it was Arsenal celebrating going ahead thanks to Guimaraes’ powerful effort from 25 yards out. The Brazilian is the last Gunners player Sunderland would want to see score the winner against them, and he relished it by celebrating with his ears cupped to the Mackems in the stands.
But those two moments showed what Arsenal are all about: a gritty determination not to be beaten, an elite goalkeeper and a difference-maker at the other end, squeezing the absolute maximum out of a mere glimpse at goal.
Wins like these are what champions do, and Arsenal look all set to defend that status to the last.
Arsenal defence survives intense physical examination
As mentioned, the Arsenal defence was put under the microscope in a physical sense at the Stadium of Light, and it passed the test with flying colours.
Though he didn’t get a shot on goal, Black Cats striker Brian Brobbey was a physical menace once again, contesting eight ground duels and two aerial duels, putting his back into the Arsenal centre-backs, and doing everything in his power to blast open a path for his teammates.
However, Gabriel and Konsa stood up to the challenge brilliantly. Brobbey won just two of his 10 duels, while Gabriel won 10 of 12 and Konsa seven of nine.
The former made one tackle, one goal-line clearance, two blocks, five clearances, two interceptions and two recoveries. Impressive numbers, but not overshadowing his partner, who made two tackles, a last-man tackle, a block, four clearances, two interceptions and one recovery.
It was the same story at set-pieces, with the formidable Ballard coming up to cause havoc in the box but largely being snuffed out by yellow shirts. And in that one moment where Sunderland did find joy from Konsa, they were met by a goalkeeper in the form of his life.
Arteta has faced much criticism from neutrals for how his side wins games and its defensive nature. But it’s that ruthless, airtight backline that has earned them champion status.
Arsenal are four for four at the start of this season and have conceded just one goal so far. Don’t expect Arteta to change any time soon. Why would he?