Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal: WOW! What a point! James Copley and Phil Smith react at the Stadium of Light
Sunderland players hailed the atmosphere and unity at the Stadium of Light after their dramatic draw with Arsenal
Sunderland’s dramatic 2–2 draw against Arsenal sparked a wave of thoughtful and emotional reactions across Instagram, with several first-team players highlighting the togetherness and atmosphere that carried them to a late equaliser at the Stadium of Light.
Nordi Mukiele was one of the first to post, sharing a powerful pre-match image of himself with a mascot and writing: “TIL THE END!!! Amazing game and atmosphere again, a precious point clinched,” finishing with a heart to underline how much the night meant to him.
Wilson Isidor also reflected proudly on the group’s mentality, posting an action shot from the match and adding: “This team is special. Stadium of Light is special. Thank you for your support,” closing with a gesture of prayerful gratitude.
Captain Granit Xhaka, facing his former club in front of a roaring home crowd, uploaded a photo mid-celebration and wrote: “Special evening in many ways,” signing it off with a heart to show his affection for the moment and its significance.
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Reinildo Mandava offered his own tribute to the effort shown across the pitch and the noise inside the ground, writing: “We keep going. An incredible atmosphere in the Stadium of Light and a collective effort. We work together until the end, my team always.” He punctuated the message with a flexed-arm emoji to represent strength and unity, followed by a hands-together symbol to express gratitude and solidarity.
Across the board, the theme of the night was clear – pride in the performance, admiration for the atmosphere and a deep sense of togetherness as Sunderland extended their unbeaten home run with one of their most emotionally charged results of the season.
What did Le Bris say after the Arsenal game?
Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris hailed his side’s character after they fought back to claim a 2–2 draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Stadium of Light.
Arsenal looked to have completed a second-half turnaround after goals from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard wiped out Sunderland’s earlier lead, but Brian Brobbey’s dramatic late volley continued the Black Cats’ remarkable habit of scoring deep into matches. It was another moment that reflected how firmly the club’s ‘Til The End spirit has taken hold under Le Bris.
Reflecting on the comeback, Le Bris said: “It shows that the team has a really strong character and the fact that we can change the dynamic of the game with just one decision, a good connection with our crowd, and it happened once again.”
Le Bris admitted his players had to reach an extremely high standard to stay competitive against one of Europe’s elite sides. “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,” he said.
“I think the first half was well balanced, we tried to defend high when possible, organised a deep block, really compact, narrow, aggressive, and we had the opportunity to manage the ball sometimes. We even felt that it was possible to disturb them in that part. The second half was a bit tougher because you defend for long periods and then you have to stay composed with the ball, and we still have a really young squad, really young players without great experience in the Premier League, so it's a good lesson.”
He acknowledged that Arsenal’s pressure after taking a 2–1 lead pushed his side to the limit. “I think we were just on the edge after the 2-1, and Arsenal were dominant and they were able to keep the ball,” he said. “But with the energy of the stadium, I think the characteristics of our players and the background we have now, I think it's really positive for this faith and this belief that we can change the dynamic.”
Le Bris also highlighted the challenge of facing a top-level midfield and press. “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. 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,” he said. “But something changed. Sometimes you don't know what exactly. With energy, with just one decision, I'm happy for our players.”
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