Brian Brobbey's astounding acrobatic leveller denied Arsenal a critical win in the Premier League title race as Sunderland held the Gunners to an enthralling 2-2 draw.
Expected to face one of their toughest assignments of the season at the Stadium of Light, the first half proved to be exactly that for Arsenal, who were finally breached after 812 minutes without conceding.
Former Arsenal academy product Dan Ballard haunted his old employers with an arrowed finish towards the end of the first half, one in which the visitors displayed an all-too familiar lack of open-play creativity.
However, the visitors' unrelenting second-half efforts were rewarded after just nine minutes courtesy of an equaliser from Bukayo Saka, who capitalised fully on increased carelessness from the red and white shirts.
The leaders' pressure did not let up after Saka's leveller, and the Gunners' comeback was seemingly complete with 20 minutes to go, thanks to a brilliant 20-yard strike from the effervescent Leandro Trossard.
Mikel Arteta switched to a defence-heavy shape in an attempt to shut up shop, but for the first time in a long while, the Gunners' defending let them down, as Brian Brobbey fired in a marvellous equaliser right at the death.
Nevertheless, the Gunners are now seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table before Manchester City scrap with Liverpool tomorrow, although the latter have now dropped below Regis Le Bris's third-placed hosts.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring on November 8, 2025
Champions normally find a way to win these games.
There is no denying that Arsenal are still the favourites to claim the Premier League crown this season - their unassailable lead at the summit of the table is evidence of that - but as shown tonight, they are not impenetrable nor invincible.
Despite competing in the Championship last season, Sunderland have consistently proven that they are no pushovers in the Premier League, and there is nothing to suggest that Le Bris's men cannot crash the European places in 2025-26.
Brobbey's strike was a dagger through Arsenal hearts, but the Gunners' second-half response after their tepid opening period was a breath of fresh air, and Arteta's men once again silenced the open-play naysayers.
This was not a worrying performance from Arteta's men by any stretch, so while it may be two points dropped, there is no cause for panic whatsoever.
SUNDERLAND VS. ARSENAL HIGHLIGHTS
Daniel Ballard goal vs. Arsenal (36th min, Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal)
DAN BALLARD!
Sunderland break Arsenal's clean sheet run! ? pic.twitter.com/lVQ3ACpp41
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 8, 2025
And Arsenal's magnificent clean sheet run is over, thanks to an old flame!
Robin Roefs punts a long free kick forward which the Gunners fail to deal with, as Nordi Mukiele pokes the ball through to Ballard, who powers past Declan Rice and lashes the ball into the roof of the net with the outside of his boot.
Bukayo Saka goal vs. Sunderland (54th min, Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal)
Bukayo Saka equalises for Arsenal! ? pic.twitter.com/ZV0AzdNwmc
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 8, 2025
It has been coming, and perhaps to the surprise of some, it has not come from a set-piece!
Sunderland are caught dilly-dallying on the ball again - Enzo Le Fee is the guilty party this time, as Declan Rice robs the Frenchman of possession close to his own box.
Arsenal suddenly have a four-on-two, and after intricate play between Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Saka, the latter catches Roefs out at his near post.
Leandro Trossard goal vs. Sunderland (74th min, Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal)
What a strike from Leandro Trossard! ? pic.twitter.com/CQNJZ01oQn
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 8, 2025
They deserve nothing less.
Trossard has been picking out some wonderful passes on the left-hand side, but the angle opens up for him to shoot this time, and he arrows a sumptuous finish into the top corner from just outside the box.
Brian Brobbey goal vs. Arsenal (90+4 min, Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal)
Brian Brobbey with an INCREDIBLE stoppage-time equaliser for Sunderland! ? pic.twitter.com/CZHOKeVgvH
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 8, 2025
Scenes in Sunderland!
The Black Cats' huffing and puffing pays off right at the death, as Ballard once again wins his duel and flicks the ball on to Brobbey, who out-muscles Gabriel Magalhaes and acrobatically flicks the ball beyond an onrushing Raya to level at the death!
MAN OF THE MATCH - DAN BALLARD
BIG. DAN. BALLARD. pic.twitter.com/zaTG0w4KIB
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 8, 2025
Following the understandable pre-game talk of Granit Xhaka potentially getting one over his former club, another erstwhile Gunner stole the Swiss' spotlight at the Stadium of Light, where he was nothing short of exemplary at the back and in attack.
Not only scoring the first and setting up the second, Ballard made the most heroic of heroic blocks to deny Mikel Merino a certain winner right at the death - an intervention that was almost celebrated as loudly as a goal.
SUNDERLAND VS. ARSENAL MATCH STATS
Possession: Sunderland 35%-65% Arsenal
Shots: Sunderland 6-17 Arsenal
Shots on target: Sunderland 2-7 Arsenal
Corners: Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Fouls: Sunderland 13-13 Arsenal
BEST STATS
Sunderland's record against London sides in the Premier League this season:
◉ W 3-0 vs. West Ham
◉ W 2-1 vs. Brentford
◉ D 0-0 vs. Crystal Palace
◉ W 1-2 vs. Chelsea
◉ D 2-2 vs. Arsenal
Still unbeaten against sides from the captial. ? pic.twitter.com/pechLkKEx2
— Squawka (@Squawka) November 8, 2025
Dan Ballard is the first man to score past Arsenal in over 13 hours of football! ?
Sunderland go 1-0 up on the Premier League leaders ? pic.twitter.com/vz99T09CVH
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) November 8, 2025
WHAT NEXT?
Two weeks of nervous anticipation for Arsenal fans, whose side host North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur straight after the international break, three days before the visit of Bayern Munich in a Champions League blockbuster.
Meanwhile, Sunderland will battle another London club when domestic football returns, travelling to Craven Cottage to face Fulham on November 22.
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