Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal: WOW! What a point! James Copley and Phil Smith react at the Stadium of Light
Jamie Carragher says Leeds United supporters will be left asking serious questions after watching Sunderland this season
Jamie Carragher says Leeds United supporters will be left asking serious questions after watching Sunderland outperform them in the Premier League this season.
Sunderland sit 4th in the Premier League on 19 points after 11 games, a position that continues to underline the scale of their transformation under Régis Le Bris. They are level with Chelsea on wins, just one point behind third place, and only the league’s elite – Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea – sit above them.
Leeds United, meanwhile, find themselves 16th on 11 points, eight places and eight points behind Sunderland despite finishing 24 points ahead of them in last season’s Championship table. The contrast is stark. Sunderland boasts a +4 goal difference, built on one of the strongest defensive records in the division, while Leeds sit on –10, reflecting a campaign in which they have already conceded more than double Sunderland’s total.
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In simple terms, Sunderland have made the best start of any promoted team in 17 years, but Leeds United are four places above the relegation zone, losing to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher hinted towards surprise that Leeds are struggling while Sunderland have surged into the top half under Régis Le Bris. “Where the pressure will come from is their own supporters, who will be, ‘Why can’t that be us [Sunderland]?’,” Carragher said on Sky Sports Main Event.
“It’s not just Sunderland being one of the promoted teams, it’s because they were a long way behind Leeds in the Championship last season. Looking at Sunderland, it’s a brilliant story for the Premier League, but Leeds are probably getting it in the neck from their supporters right now looking at Sunderland because, as we know, promoted teams find things tough, but right now Leeds aren’t in the bottom three and that’s the aim of the game.”
What did Mikel Arteta say about Sunderland after the Arsenal game?
Mikel Arteta insisted Arsenal “deserved” to leave the Stadium of Light with all three points – but the Gunners boss also made a point of praising Sunderland’s position in the Premier League after a dramatic 2–2 draw on Saturday night.
Arsenal looked to have completed the turnaround through second-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, only for Brian Brobbey to crash in a superb stoppage-time equaliser that preserved Sunderland’s unbeaten home record. Even after that, the league leaders nearly stole it at the death, with Dan Ballard producing a heroic block to deny Mikel Merino’s late effort.
Speaking afterwards, Arteta cut a frustrated figure when reflecting on a night he felt slipped away. “Obviously, the last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points, and we have to navigate through a really tough game,” Arteta said.
“We knew that they are very disruptive. We have to deal with situations obviously that are difficult to deal with. They do it really well and we conceded a goal that is not in our standards. But after that, I think the team reacted really well, showed a lot of personality and courage. They scored the first goal, they scored the second goal and we totally dominated the game.
“You have to rely on defending the box when they start to commit six or seven players there. It can be from a direct play, it can be from a throw-in, it can be from any situation. We can defend the action better, and today we haven't done it; we conceded the goal.
“And in the last minutes we have another massive chance with Ricky and Mikel to win, which I think we deserve to do. But it didn't happen, but I think it shows what we've done in the last ten games. Winning them in the manner that we've done it, with clean sheets, missing seven players in the front line. So it shows you how difficult it is.”
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