Arsenal kept their strong start to the campaign rolling with a 2-0 win over Sunderland, but the result turned on a major second-half moment that will be debated for some time. David Raya saved Enzo Le Fee's penalty after Ezri Konsa was penalised for holding Dan Ballard, and 121 seconds later Bruno Guimaraes scored his first Arsenal goal from outside the Sunderland box.
The victory moved Arsenal above Manchester City at the top of the Premier League and gave Mikel Arteta's side a fourth straight league win. It was also their sixth win in all competitions, underlining how well the team has begun the season.
How the match swung
Before the game, Sunderland were on four points and they had a chance to change the flow of the contest in the second half when the penalty was awarded. Raya came up with the save, though, and Arsenal immediately made the most of the momentum shift. Guimaraes, who had previously played for Newcastle, was booed by the home fans at the Stadium of Light before producing the decisive finish.
There was still time for more drama in stoppage time. Bukayo Saka added a penalty after Reinildo Mandava was sent off for a second yellow card, sealing the 2-0 scoreline and taking some of the tension out of the closing minutes.
Arteta's reaction
Mikel Arteta made it clear he was unhappy with the penalty decision against Arsenal. He called the win a huge one, but said it could have been something very different. He also said he was upset and described Sunderland's award of a penalty as unacceptable, adding that it could change the course of a season and even the championship.
Arteta said he had watched the incident 10 times to make sure, and insisted it was not possible that it should have been a penalty because it was a judo roll. In his view, it was not a penalty in any context or any league. Those comments reflected how significant the decision felt, even with Arsenal ultimately leaving with all three points.
For Arsenal, the bigger picture is simple: the win keeps them at the top and continues a very strong start. For Sunderland, the match will be remembered for the missed penalty and the brief spell in which it felt like the game might turn in their favour.
