Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal: WOW! What a point! James Copley and Phil Smith react at the Stadium of Light
Eberechi Eze delivered a blunt assessment of Sunderland’s performance and reacted to the hoardings talk
Arsenal had arrived having won ten straight matches in all competitions and without conceding a goal since September, but saw both runs ended as Sunderland scored twice – including a stoppage-time equaliser from Brian Brobbey – to earn a deserved point and preserve their unbeaten home record.
Asked whether Sunderland’s intensity or quality had surprised him, Eze was unequivocal. “No. We knew exactly how they would play,” he said. “We knew it was a difficult environment to play in. A lot of direct play and threat in the box. So we understood what we were coming into. It felt like it was a bit difficult first half, but second half, we showed what we're about, and we did what we needed to do. I feel like it’s one of those days.”
Arsenal dominated long spells of the second half after falling behind to Dan Ballard’s opener, equalising through Bukayo Saka and later striking the crossbar through Martín Zubimendi, only to be stung at the death as Brobbey’s 94th-minute finish sent the Stadium of Light into chaos.
Eze admitted the stoppage-time setback left a flat mood in the visiting dressing room. “It’s a tough one to take,” he said. “We did so well for a lot of periods of the game and to get a draw like that feels like a loss. But we’ve just got to keep it in perspective and keep going. We understand we're top of the league. We put in so many good performances over the last few periods, so it's something to keep building on.”
Despite the frustration, Eze echoed Mikel Arteta’s message after full-time – that Arsenal’s level remained “serious” and that few teams would take points away from Wearside this season. “The message is that we did what we needed to do,” he said. “To put in the performance that we did is serious. Not many teams will get points here. We keep our heads on, keep better perspective and know that we're going to come back from the international break top of the league, and we've got to keep going and keep pushing.”
Sunderland adjusted advertising hoardings near the touchline ahead of the game to allow for Remembrance Day celebrations, but it was also suggested that it was to stop long throw-ins. Eze, though, shrugged it off. “I can’t say I noticed,” he said. “It's probably the guys who were taking the throw-ins noticed. But these are some of the things that you have to deal with in the Premier League. We are proud of what we did and we know what we're capable of. We're going to keep building.”
The draw came just days before Eze links up with England ahead of the international break, and he said the opportunity remains as special as ever. “Yeah, for sure,” he said when asked about staking a World Cup claim. “That's my mentality, just to keep going, improving and getting better every single day. I'm grateful for another opportunity to be called up to play for England; it's a special feeling.”
He also acknowledged the potential for a “double joy” season – chasing both the Premier League title and a World Cup spot. “This is the aim,” Eze said. “We have goals, we have targets that we want to reach, and for sure we'll keep going for it.”
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Attention will soon return to domestic matters, with Arsenal’s next league game a north London derby against Tottenham. “Of course, it's massive for us,” he said. “We know what it means to us and to the fans. We'll come back strong, prepared and ready to go.”
But for now, even Eze admitted the emotionally and physically draining night at the Stadium of Light needed to be processed first. “I'd say recover from this game first because this was a lot,” he said. “Then go into the international break, taking each day and games that comes, and when we come back, for sure, we'll be ready for that.”
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