Arsenal have unfinished business at Stadium of Light after last season's costly setback
Arsenal’s perfect start faces another significant examination when the Premier League champions travel to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on Saturday evening.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has overseen five victories from five competitive matches, including three straight league wins and Wednesday’s 1-0 Champions League success at Napoli.
The momentum is considerable, but Sunderland should offer another reminder that reputation alone will not carry Arsenal through difficult away assignments.
Wearside was the scene of one of the Gunners’ more frustrating results last season.
Arsenal dominated much of that encounter and recovered from Dan Ballard’s opener through Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, only for Brian Brobbey to snatch a 94th-minute equaliser.
The 2-2 draw ended Arsenal’s five-match Premier League winning sequence and demonstrated exactly why Sunderland are dangerous on their own ground.
Regis Le Bris organised his team into an aggressive mid-to-low block, defended territory effectively and used direct passes and second balls to disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm.
The numbers underlined Arsenal’s control, with 65 per cent possession, 17 shots and 32 touches inside Sunderland’s penalty area, but none of that ultimately secured victory.
That lesson should remain fresh on Saturday.
Sunderland went on to finish seventh and qualify for the Europa League during an outstanding first season back in the top flight, with defensive resilience becoming one of their defining qualities.
They conceded only 48 league goals, fewer than several established European contenders, and the combination of their organisation and an intense Stadium of Light atmosphere regularly made life uncomfortable for visiting teams.
This season has begun less spectacularly, with four points from three matches, but they have responded to an opening defeat by taking points against Fulham and Brentford.
Their 1-0 League Cup victory over Hull City on Tuesday also extended their unbeaten sequence in all competitions to three matches.
Arsenal consequently cannot approach this as a routine fixture between champions and outsiders.
The Gunners have already demonstrated different ways of winning this season, from the controlled victory at Aston Villa to their comeback against Chelsea and patient breakthrough in Naples.
However, Wednesday also exposed an area requiring improvement.
Arsenal created enough chances to beat Napoli comfortably but repeatedly failed to finish them, eventually relying on Martin Odegaard’s 75th-minute strike.
Similar wastefulness could be far more costly against a Sunderland side comfortable defending deep and waiting for moments to attack directly.
Arsenal eventually beat the Black Cats 3-0 at the Emirates last season, but returning to the Stadium of Light presents a different challenge.
Four league victories from four would further underline the champions’ impressive start, but Sunderland have already shown Arsenal precisely what can happen if Arteta’s team fail to impose their superiority where it matters most.
The post Arsenal have unfinished business at Stadium of Light after last season's costly setback first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.
