Sunderland dealt Arsenal a blow in the title race as they bagged a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light on Saturday evening. While the Gunners extended their lead a the top of the table to seven points, Mikel Arteta's side were made to settle for a share of the spoils as they failed to fully capitalise ahead of title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool doing battle on Sunday afternoon.
In a challenging start to the clash, Declan Rice had the first real chance of the game as he tested Robin Roefs with a free-kick from range. However, the Sunderland shotstopper comfortably punched the midfielder's 15th-minute effort away for a throw in.
Eberechi Eze then looked to capitalise on a sloppy Enzo Le Fee pass but it was Sunderland who bagged the opener at the Stadium of Light. A looping pass into the Arsenal box wasn't dealt with and former Arsenal man Dan Ballard rose above Rice to flick on for Nordi Mukiele. The Frenchman played the ball back into the path of Ballard, who held off pressure to blast past David Raya.
Arsenal started the second half strongly and after Saka flashed a low effort across goal shortly after the restarted, the winger made no mistake to bury past Roefs at the near post after Rice robbed Le Fee of possession in the Sunderland half.
Martin Zubimendi then twice went close as Arsenal looked to go ahead, first dragging a low effort just wide after being picked out by Leandro Trossard before rattling the Sunderland crossbar midway through the second half.
Arsenal continued to pressure the Sunderland goal, and their dominance paid off as Trossard rifled past Roefs from 20 yards with 15 minutes to play to put the Gunners in front.
Raya made a stunning close range save to deny Brian Brobbey in the 79th minute and while the Dutch striker was offside, the Arsenal number one wasn't to know as he sought to protect his side's lead. The Spaniard sprung into action minutes later to claim the ball from the feet of Brobbey as Sunderland pushed for an equaliser.
Brobbey, though, wasn't to be denied a third time as the former Ajax man acrobatically tucked past Raya in second half injury time to ensure a share of the spoils at the Stadium of Light.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Stadium of Light...