Arsenal maintained their 100% start to the Premier League season with a 2-0 win at Sunderland on Saturday, thanks to a stunning first goal from Bruno Guimarães and a late Bukayo Saka penalty.
David Raya saved an Enzo Le Fée penalty in the 55th minute before Guimarães, a half-time substitute, curled home from outside the box two minutes later.
Saka converted from the spot in the seventh minute of stoppage time after Reinildo Mandava was sent off.The result leaves Arsenal top of the table with 12 points from four matches.
Sunderland have four points from four games.The first half was even and physical, with few clear chances. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was booked for leaving his technical area.
He introduced Guimarães and Jurriën Timber at the interval.Sunderland were awarded a penalty when Ezri Konsa was judged to have fouled Dan Ballard at a set piece.
Referee John Brooks pointed to the spot and VAR did not overturn the decision. Raya dived to his left and turned Le Fée’s kick onto the post.
Guimarães then scored his first Arsenal goal since a summer move from Newcastle, striking into the top corner off the underside of the bar from a Declan Rice pass.
The former Newcastle captain had been booed throughout by the home crowd.Sunderland pressed for an equaliser. Nordi Mukiele went close and Ballard cleared a Kai Havertz effort off the line.
Timber had a header disallowed for offside.Late on, Mandava brought down Saka in the area and received a second yellow card. Saka scored the resulting penalty to seal the win.
Arteta criticised the Sunderland penalty after the match.“It’s a judo roll from the opponent.
Ezri does nothing. Just watch it,” he told BBC Match of the Day. “We have a lot of cameras and VAR, we have to take responsibility to protect the game.
Today the game was unprotected and it could have cost us the game and the momentum.
”Arsenal have now won nine successive Premier League matches, their longest run since 2003-04. They next face Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup before a league trip to Brighton.
