The Black Cats continued their remarkable Premier League season with a 2-2 draw against Arsenal
Sunderland players and fans celebrate Dan Ballard's goal against Arsenal
Sunderland players and fans celebrate Dan Ballard's goal against Arsenal
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The power of the Stadium of Light has played a huge role in Sunderland's remarkable start to the Premier League season, according to former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville.
The Sky Sports pundit watched as the Black Cats took a point off Premier League leaders Arsenal – becoming the first team to score against the Gunners in nine matches – and is in now doubt how difficult it was for visiting teams to visit Wearside to take on Regis Le Bris’ side.
Neville was on co-commentating duty for Sunday's Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool, working alongside Peter Drury, who was at the Stadium of Light on Saturday night.
“I was at Sunderland last night and I haven’t been there for nine years, what a fabulous thing they’ve got there," Drury told Neville.
"It’s a great football stadium, their people are so invested in that team, they were terrific and they took points from Arsenal.”
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Neville replied that he had managed to watch most of the match and although he missed the final goal, he already knew what Arsenal were walking into.
“Brilliant for Sunderland," he added. "I thought it would be awkward for Arsenal.
"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 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.
“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.
"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.”
“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.
"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.”