The Black Cats adopted the phrase ‘Til The End’ to accompany last season’s remarkable play-off campaign, when Dan Ballard’s last-gasp header against Coventry City was followed by Tommy Watson’s equally-dramatic winner at Wembley.
Sunderland scored another stoppage-time winner last month, with Brobbey setting up Chemsdine Talbi at Chelsea, and were at it again this evening against table-topping Arsenal.
Ballard nodded down Trai Hume’s cross in the 94th minute, with Brobbey muscling in front of Gabriel before swivelling to fire home.
“It shows that the team has a really strong character,” said Le Bris, whose side returned to the Champions League places as they became the first team to score two goals in a game against Arsenal this season. “The fact that we can change the dynamic of the game with just one decision, a good connection with our crowd, is huge for us, and it happened once again.
“It's still tough against a team like Arsenal, one of the best teams in Europe, so you have to do a masterclass, otherwise it's impossible to win something.
“I think we were just on the edge after the 2-1, and Arsenal were dominant and they were able to keep the ball.
“But with the energy of the stadium, I think the characteristics of our players and the background we have now, it's really positive for this faith and this belief that we can change the dynamic.”
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Sunderland claimed a first-half lead when Ballard fired home after Nordi Mukiele nodded the ball into his path, but for 20 minutes or so in the second half, Arsenal turned the game on its head and subjected the Black Cats to their toughest spell of the season so far.
Bukayo Saka levelled with a near-post finish, and Leandro Trossard fired the Gunners into the lead when he crashed a shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the 18-yard box.
It would have been easy for Sunderland to go under at that stage, but instead of wilting, the Black Cats successfully regrouped and spent the final stages of the game pushing for the equaliser that arrived when Brobbey scored his first goal since his summer move from Ajax.
“A squad like [Arsenal’s] has the ability to stay composed on the ball, to get high on the pitch, and then they counter-press really aggressively with good organisation,” said Le Bris. “It’s so hard to escape this pressure.
“After that, you try to go long. If you don't win the first contact, you go again and you can't breathe. It was really tough.
“But something changed. Sometimes, you don't know what exactly. But with energy, with just one decision, we did it. I’m happy for our players.”