Frazier Campbell on Régis Le Bris, Granit Xhaka, Darren Bent, Steve Bruce and Sunderland's season
The moments you may have missed as Sunderland faced Arsenal at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League
Régis Le Bris’ side came into the match sitting fourth in the table with 18 points from their opening ten fixtures before any of the other Saturday games kicked off, while Arsenal arrived on Wearside as league leaders after an outstanding start to the season.
With both teams occupying places near the top end of the division and the rest of the weekend’s fixtures still to come, it carried the feel of a significant early-season marker. From touchline reactions to off-camera details, here are the moments you might have missed:
Granit Xhaka’s first meeting with Arsenal as a Sunderland player
This was the first time Granit Xhaka had faced Arsenal as a Sunderland player since his summer move to Wearside, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the evening. The midfielder spent seven seasons in north London, experiencing almost every extreme the club can offer – from becoming captain, to the fallout with supporters, to rebuilding his standing under Mikel Arteta and lifting major trophies before eventually departing on good terms.
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Because of that history, all eyes were on how Xhaka approached the occasion. His pre-match routine drew more attention than usual, with plenty of interest from the Sky Sports cameras in his interactions, body language and level of intensity as he prepared to face the club that shaped the largest part of his Premier League career. The ex-Arsenal man was given a good round of applause from Arsenal fans when his name was read out on the tannoy pre-match. It was a fixture that carried personal significance as much as sporting importance. Dan Ballard was also named in Régis Le Bris’ starting XI to face his former club at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland transfer story breaks before Arsenal game
Away from the main event at the Stadium of Light, a notable transfer-line slipped out earlier in the day as Sunderland’s U18s quietly fielded a mystery trialist at the Academy of Light. By the afternoon, The Echo was able to confirm that the player was Triziano Lorenzo Sanchez Alvin Wilson, currently contracted to Norwich City.
Sunderland are taking a close look at the young forward – and he certainly made an impression, scoring twice and providing an assist in the U18s' game. The story was first called by @SAFCsource on X, and his involvement added an unexpected layer of intrigue to the build-up before kick-off against Arsenal.
No team news surprises ahead of Sunderland vs Arsenal
Team news brought no surprises as Régis Le Bris named an unchanged Sunderland XI for the visit of Arsenal, sticking with the shape and personnel who impressed at Stamford Bridge and held Everton earlier in the week. The Black Cats lined up in a back five against the league leaders, with Le Bris opting for continuity rather than rotation on a night where margins were always likely to be tight. As expected, Omar Alderete missed out as he continues to recover from a concussion.
Le Bris had been clear in the build-up that Sunderland would need to hit rare levels to take anything from the contest, admitting his side would require a “masterclass” to compete. Sunderland XI: Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida; Reinildo; Traore, Sadiki, Xhaka, Le Fée; Isidor. Subs: Neil, Patterson, O’Nien, Masuaku, Mayenda, Brobbey, Rigg, Talbi, Adingra.
Régis Le Bris bats off Newcastle United question
Another noteworthy moment came in Le Bris’ pre-match media duties, when he was asked whether Sunderland’s daunting run of fixtures – Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Bournemouth – would reveal even more about his team. The head coach didn’t bite on the narrative, instead giving a typically calm and grounded answer. “I don’t know. We’ll see,” he said, offering a small smile as the question landed.
Le Bris stressed that the challenge ahead should excite rather than intimidate, especially with the backing Sunderland have created at home. “It’s a tough challenge, an exciting challenge at home especially with our fans, so we’ll have to show the best version of Sunderland, otherwise we know that we’ll face probably one of the best teams in Europe at the minute, so it will be a really challenging test for us.”
Sunderland and Arsenal fans come together
The night began with a stunning full-stadium Remembrance display that brought the Stadium of Light to a complete standstill. Organised by the This Is Wearside group with support across the fanbase, every stand rose as one, holding aloft red and white cards to form a giant poppy that wrapped around the ground. It was one of those visual moments Sunderland does better than almost anyone.
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What made it even more striking was the participation from the travelling Arsenal support, who joined in without hesitation and helped complete the mosaic. For a brief few minutes before kick-off, rivalry faded and both sets of fans stood shoulder to shoulder. Under the lights, with the bugler’s notes echoing around the stadium, it created a spine-tingling start to the evening – one of the most memorable pre-match Remembrance tributes the ground has hosted.
First half injury concerns for Sunderland and Arsenal
The first half never really settled into any rhythm, with the ball reportedly in play for just 23 minutes – and it felt every bit as stop–start as that statistic suggests. Around the seven-minute mark, Mikel Merino went down after an aerial challenge with Dan Ballard, sparking immediate anger from Mikel Arteta, who claimed the Sunderland defender had led with an elbow. The Arsenal midfielder stayed on the turf for several minutes as medical staff treated him, but eventually walked off under his own steam and managed to continue, despite it looking worrying at first glance.
Sunderland then had their own concern on 26 minutes when Enzo Le Fée was caught by Jurrien Timber. Arteta was again unhappy that a foul was given, and while Le Fée played on, he was down again just two minutes later as the game continued to fragment. Timber himself required lengthy treatment soon after following a clash of heads, leaving him with a cut that needed patching and eventually a black bandage wrapped around his head. Both sides were temporarily down to ten men as the stoppages dragged on.
The chaos continued into the 33rd minute when Granit Xhaka’s tackle on Merino sparked another flare-up. The Sunderland captain was furious that his former Arsenal teammate threw himself to the ground and then stood over him shouting, adding another layer of needle to an already scrappy half. With multiple injuries, collisions and the opening goal all contributing to the disruption, nine minutes of added time were eventually shown – a reflection of a half that never truly got going.
Second half produces goals, injury scares and stoppages at the Stadium of Light
Arsenal’s equaliser arrived just after the hour through Bukayo Saka, who punished some uncharacteristically sloppy play from Enzo Le Fée on 67 minutes. The visitors almost completed the turnaround soon after when Martín Zubimendi struck the bar with a curling effort from the edge of the box, a reminder of how fine the margins were in a frantic second half.
There was a brief flashpoint moments later when William Saliba became involved in a minor scuffle with Sunderland players after Robin Roefs was knocked over contesting a free-kick. The Stadium of Light let the referee know what it thought of the incident, and it added an extra layer of needle to the closing stages.
On 69 minutes, there was real concern for Trai Hume, who went down clutching his ankle and looked in clear discomfort. He stayed on the turf for a short spell before attempting to run it off and, to the relief of the home crowd, managed to continue despite looking in significant pain initially. The injury worries didn’t stop there. With around ten minutes remaining, Nordi Mukiele required treatment after collapsing to the turf, forcing play to be halted. He eventually walked off under his own steam but looked to be struggling with his right leg and in noticeable discomfort, even though he ultimately continued.
The biggest flashpoint of the half came on 84 minutes when Hume bent a clever ball into the channel for Reinildo Mandava. As the left-back tried to reach it, he was body-checked off the ball, sparking furious appeals from Sunderland players and supporters. In the same phase, David Raya ended up needing treatment after Brobbey’s follow-through left him winded.
The Stadium of Light was sent into raptures when Brian Brobbey crashed in Sunderland’s equaliser – his goal assist completing a remarkable team performance and fixture on Wearside and sparking the loudest roar of the night. Brobbey’s equaliser was assisted by Ballard, making it a goal and an assist on the day. One final note: this marked the first time Sunderland have scored twice at home to Arsenal in the Premier League – a small but telling sign of how competitive Le Bris’ side have become on Wearside.
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