Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal: WOW! What a point! James Copley and Phil Smith react at the Stadium of Light
Peter Drury and Gary Neville deliver glowing Sunderland verdict after a thunderous night at the Stadium of Light
Drury, who was on commentary duty for the 2–2 draw, admitted he had forgotten how powerful the atmosphere could be, saying: “I was at Sunderland last night, Gary, and I haven't been there for nine years, what a fabulous thing they've got there. It's a great football stadium, their people are so invested in that team, they were terrific and they took points from Arsenal.”
Neville said he managed to watch most of the match before heading to see Richard Ashcroft, and although he missed the final goal, he already knew what Arsenal were walking into. “Brilliant for Sunderland, I thought it would be awkward for Arsenal,” he said. “Sunderland, the way in which they set up defensively, they're very well organised, they've got a real threat going forward, they've got a momentum in the stadium, the fans are with them, they're back in the Premier League. And I remember going up to Sunderland, I remember going to Roker Park and playing, let alone the Stadium of Light, and when it's rocking up there, it truly does rock, and they've done brilliantly this season.”
Neville went further, insisting there was “no shame whatsoever” in Arsenal dropping points on Wearside. “You'll always feel that when you're winning as a big club and then a team equalises against you, it's a sucker punch… but that was a game that always had a little bit of a banana skin around it,” he said. He emphasised that he had predicted a draw long before kick-off. “I'm not sat there at all watching Arsenal get a point there at Sunderland yesterday and thinking in any way, shape or form that I'm surprised… I genuinely thought this could just be a game that might just catch them out a little bit and cause them a problem.”
Neville also explained what makes Sunderland such a difficult opponent this season. “The right attributes, the right principles of a team coming up, being hard to beat, being physical, running forward with real aggression and meaning and passion, and getting balls into the box and filling the box,” he said. He contrasted Sunderland’s approach with sides that try to imitate Manchester City. “We've seen some right nonsense over these last few years of players playing out from the back and trying to be Pep Guardiola's Manchester City when they've come out of the Championship… I'm glad that we're seeing what we're seeing from Leeds and from Burnley and from Sunderland, which is a more pragmatic style, but I think equally as effective.”
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Despite Arsenal’s frustration at conceding in stoppage time, Neville said the point is far from damaging. “They've conceded a last-minute, that'll hurt them because they're a proud team defensively… but it's a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. “Did you expect to win every single match? No. No team does that. Manchester City at their very best haven't gone through a season winning every single match… you're bound to drop points.”
Neville finished by stressing that the emotional sting Arsenal will feel is simply part of being an elite club, but not a sign of deeper issues. “When you draw a game like that with a goal in the last minute, it's like having a cloud over your head… but it's normal,” he said. “The main thing is when they come back in a couple of weeks, they get after that three points and win the next game.”
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