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Match Report: Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal

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Arsenal travelled to north East England looking to get back to winning ways in the league after last weeks shock loss to Premier League newcomers Hull City.

Alex Song was been handed a starting place ahead of French midfield maestro Samir Nasri after Wednesday’s 4-0 mauling of FC Porto, other than that, the team was unchanged.

Sunderland Starting XI

Gordon
Chimbonda – Ferdinand – Collins – McCartney
Malbranque – Whitehead – Yorke – Reid
Richardson
Cisse

Arsenal Starting XI

Almunia
Sagna – Toure – Gallas – Clichy
Walcott – Fabregas – Song – Denilson
Adebayor – van Persie

The Gunners’ shock loss to Hull last weekend was supposedly out of their system after they thrashed Porto in midweek.

But from the start the visitors looked short of ideas, while Sunderland had a keen determination about them.

And Roy Keane’s men has the first chance following a lapse in concentration from Walcott.

The young winger blindly played the ball back towards his own goal and Cisse was only denied a shot by the onrushing Manuel Almunia, who blocked at the striker’s feet.

Sunderland had nearly got in before that, when Dean Whitehead almost latched on to Steed Malbranque’s fine pass but Kolo Toure slid in with a well-timed tackle.

The hosts’ strategy already clear – get numbers behind the ball and try to break quickly when the opportunity arose. And they were doing it well.

Arsenal had all the possession but were delaying their passes too long and, there was a lethargy about their general play.

Their only efforts were an off-target header from Alex Song, who was starting in place of Samir Nasri, and long-range shots from Denilson, Walcott and Fabregas.

It was Cisse who had the best effort of a low-grade first half when he hit a rising drive that Almunia was forced to tip over the bar.

Second Half

Soon after the break Arsenal thought they had opened the scoring, but Van Persie’s volley was ruled out as Walcott’s cross was judged to have gone out of play.

Surprisingly it did not have the effect of stirring Arsenal into action, and they continued to play into Sunderland’s hands.

Adebayor had a shot that Gordon spilled, but the danger was quickly cleared.

At the other end, Kieran Richardson shot straight at Almunia and Andy Reid did the same with a free-kick.

However, most of the match continued to be played in the Sunderland half.

And Arsenal’s best chance came when Nicklas Bendtner dinked the ball over the top for Van Persie to volley but Gordon produced a fine reflex save to deny the Dutchman.

Then Sunderland came up with a moment of brilliance as Leadbitter picked up the ball just outside the box and struck a magnificent shot into the top corner, in off the underside of the bar.

Goal: Grant Leadbitter (86) – Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal

That seemed to have won it for Sunderland but there was still time for a final twist as Fabregas managed to rise highest at the near post to head in Van Persie’s corner.

Goal: Cesc Fabregas (90+3) – Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal

An amazing last minute goal from Fabregas which summed up the abysmal day for Arsenal. The score only tells half of the story with Sunderland controlling the majority of play. Arsene Wenger needs to sort this team out – and soon.

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