I’m going to wrap this blog up now. Thanks for reading. Goodbye.
With that win, however, Arsenal move up to second, behind Leicester, who won 3-0 at Swansea. (Man Utd could only manage a 0-0 at home with West Ham.) Sunderland stay 17th.
Find out more scores here:
An enjoyable game, but the scoreline flatters Arsenal: that was a nervy victory over a team at the wrong end of the table. Sunderland played well, and created at least three great chances, but they defended poorly at important moments, and a game they could have claimed a point from has gotten away from them. Arsenal were bad for 30 minutes, picked up after the goal and played quite well in the second half, but they don’t half make some crass errors: they needed Petr Cech to have a big game, and he did.
Mesut Ozil ran the show, but the supporting cast were below par. Work to do!
Updated
Full-time: Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland
That’s it.
90 min + 4: Sunderland had committed men forward, and Arsenal broke with players in support. It fell to Chambers in the box, whose shot was hopeless, but it took a lucky ricochet and Ramsey stabbed home. Very hard on Sunderland: it hasn’t been a 3-1 game.
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland (Ramsey 90 +3)
That’s wrapped it up.
90 min + 2: Gasps around the Emirates as Monreal chested it back to Cech, who had come out for it, and there was a moment of agony before the goalie claimed it. Total miscommunication.
90 min + 1: Five minutes of stoppage time. How’s Arsene’s heartrate?
90 min: That was quite similar to Arsenal’s opener, but such was the angle of the pass from Rodwell, van Aanholt had to take it on his right foot, his weaker one, and he got completely underneath it.
Now Ramsey with a chance to wrap it up, but Pantilimon beats it away! Very good opportunity, that: he should have done a lot better.
89 min: Ooh, what a glorious chance to equalize! Sunderland worked it nicely, and Rodwell found space 30 yards from goal before sliding a perfect ball in for van Aanholt, but the Dutchman blazed over! What a pass that was from Rodwell: the ball beat three defenders but van Aanholt couldn’t keep his shot down. What a chance.
88 min: Gibbs passes directly out of play. Wenger is up on the touchline. Still time for a goal!
86 min: Ozil is barged by Johnson, who hasn’t seen much of the ball since coming on, but it’s no foul. Bobby Madeley has refereed this game pretty well today, actually: it’s been allowed to flow.
84 min: Again, madness from Koscielny as he tries to nip in front of Watmore in the centre circle. Free kick, and O’Shea launches it into the box. Kaboul is up highest, but Sunderland can’t win the second ball, and it’s a goal kick.
83 min: Sunderland still have time to level things up, but they’ll need to get the ball first. Arsenal are controlling possession.
82 min: A spell of possession for Arsenal as they try to close this game out, but that ball from Flamini is misplaced, and Sunderland can streak clear.
Yedlin is yellow-carded after a sublime piece of skill by Ozil. If the German isn’t man of the match today, I’ll eat my hat.
Final change for Arsenal: Giroud off, Chambers on, and the quality of Arsenal’s collective hairstyle immediately plummets.
78 min: Gibbs crosses from the right, and it’s high and hanging, and off the top of the bar and behind. Pantilimon had it covered – even though it hit the woodwork it was never going in.
75 min: Oh, Watmore! He ran in behind Monreal as the Arsenal defence pushed up really high, and again, he was in all alone, and couldn’t beat Cech! That was a more difficult chance than Borini’s because the angle was tighter, and Monreal came back to close him down, but he had time, and couldn’t find the finish. Another opportunity gone begging.
Updated
73 min: Bellerin gives Flamini a hospital pass, and M’Vila nips in to win it, but his shot, again, is pretty ropey. Well over. Final change for Sunderland, and Jeremain Lens is in for Steven Fletcher.
71 min: Ozil and Walcott produce a lovely one-two, but then Ozil tries to find Walcott again when perhaps he could have shot, and the chance is lost.
69 min: Arsenal in this second half have shown a bit more spunk, but Sunderland aren’t out of this yet, particularly with Johnson on the pitch now.
67 min: Sunderland’s Adam Johnson comes in for Fabio Borini, who missed that great early chance and then found little to work with.
66 min: Walcott is into the action early, but his shot is completely mishit. Lolz. Then Bellerin forces a corner from Van Aanholt’s mistake. Corner to Arsenal, who are cranking it up. And that’s off the line! Ozil’s corner, Giroud’s header, Yedlin’s goalline clearance. Unlucky! Yedlin did well.
Updated
64 min: Change for Arsenal: Walcott comes on for Oxlade-Chamerlain.
63 min: Arsenal suddenly picked up the tempo, and Ramsey cut in from the left and found Giroud with a lovely cross – and the Frenchman’s header was excellent. Sunderland might have been too deep there, but Giroud did really well to lose Kaboul and beat Pantilimon.
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland (Giroud 63)
Great goal!
61 min: This game has become stretched. Good for the neutral. Ozil has a go from distance, but it was just wide as Giroud looked to get a diversion beyond Pantilimon.
Sunderland change: Rodwell, a fine player whose career has meandered somewhat, on for Toivonen.
60 min: Fletcher crashed into the post during that sequence and he’s off having a gash in his shin tended to. He’ll be OK, though, and he trots back on.
58 min: Fletcher hits one hard and low from 23 yards, and Cech is down quickly to push away for a corner. Good effort.
Oh and what a save that is! Arsenal didn’t pick up Fletcher at the far post, Toivonen flicked on, but Fletcher couldn’t quite get the connection, and Cech saved on the goalline! Big chance!
Updated
57 min: Mertesacker does well to ease Watmore off it, and Arsenal can come forward – but Ramsey’s ball for Monreal is underhit and Sunderland can clear. Ramsey’s movement off the ball and willingness to go beyond the striker is so good, but his passing has been off today.
55 min: Ooh, that was almost very nice from Arsenal: Ozil was at the heart of things, and he found Ramsey after a lovely exchange on the edge of the box, but Ramsey was flagged offside as he shot at Pantilimon. Much better from the hosts: quicker passing.
52 min: It comes to nothing. Giroud has been at his plodding worst for Arsenal today. Nothing from him in the Sunderland penalty area. Time for Walcott?
Updated
51 min: Ramsey looks to release Campbell down the left, but the Welshman doesn’t have the touch of Ozil, and the ball is overhit. Campbell does well to prevent it going out for a goal kick. Now Oxlade-Chamberlain hits one from a central area, 23 yards out, but it’s well wide. Oh, it was deflected: corner.
50 min: Kaboul and van Aanholt crowd out Oxlade-Chamberlain, who wasn’t up to par in that first 45. Sunderland have many green shirts back.
48 min: Yedlin rushes forward at top speed to worry the Arsenal defence. He had some chastening moments defensively in that first half, Yedlin, but he’s certainly game, and he has a pop from distance, but it’s well off target.
We're back
46 min: Ozil and Giroud get us back playing. Arsene Wenger has got a fume on. Apparently he was upset with the award of the free kick, but there was no dispute: Koscielny caught Watmore hard on the ankle. A clear foul, and a deserved yellow.
It was bad of Koscielny to concede the foul, but Giroud’s body position was all wrong for the goal: he tried to clear with his left foot as it came in from the left touchline, but there was too much pace on the ball. If only he had a right foot!
Half-time: Arsenal 1-1 Sunderland
A frantic end to the half, and Sunderland go in level. Spare a thought for Arsene Wenger’s worry lines.
See you shortly.
Updated
45 min + 2: Oh, Ramsey should have given Arsenal their lead back! Yedlin was dispossessed by Monreal, who had time and space, and fired it in to Ramsey, free in the box, but he put it wide! Big chance, but why did Monreal lash it so hard?
45 min + 1: Well, that passage of play just sums Arsenal up. A stupid, snide, pointless foul by Koscielny allowed Sunderland to get the ball in the box, Watmore crossed dangerously, and Giroud, facing his own goal, went with the wrong foot to try and clear, and just diverted it into his own net. A farce.
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Sunderland (Giroud og 45)
Oh my word.
45 min: Koscielny is booked for a foul on Watmore. He dived in by the touchline – what an unnecessary foul. And now Sunderland can sling it in to the box.
44 min: Arsenal have settled since the goal, and Ozil is pulling the strings. What a magnificent player he is.
42 min: Mertesacker, who is admirable in many ways but sometimes doesn’t half look like an old man, is completely bamboozled by Watmore one on one, but Flamini comes over to help out. Corner to Sunderland, and Cech punches unconvincingly, but the whistle had gone for a foul by Fletcher.
39 min: Sunderland have had the wind taken out of their sails. Giroud goes down in the box under challenge from Kaboul, but no call. Looked like the right decision: I think Kaboul was too strong.
Re Ozil:
12 - Mesut Ozil has now recorded 12 PL assists this season, the most by an Arsenal player since Cesc Fabregas in 2009/10 (13). Provider.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 5, 2015
And we’re only in December!
Updated
37 min: Allardyce will be like a hot kettle: his team had played really well, and restricted Arsenal, but they switched off once Ozil got the ball in space. There were plenty of green shirts back, but Yedlin didn’t track the runner, although the pass from Ozil was really incisive. Another assist for Mesut!
Updated
35 min: Well, they haven’t played well, but Arsenal lead, and it was all created by Ozil: the German picked up the ball from Giroud’s lay-off, and all of a sudden Sunderland looked vulnerable – Ozil stabbed a pass through for Campbell, who ran beyond the snoozing Yedlin, and finished well, low. Good goal, that – all made by the weight of pass.
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Sunderland (Campbell 33)
Campbell!
33 min: Yedlin got lucky then: Oxlade-Chamberlin put in a much better cross from the right, and Campbell was almost in as Yedlin dozed. Sunderland whack it clear.
32 min: Campbell does well to block Yedlin’s cross, but Yedlin just breezes past him on the second attempt. Such pace! Unfortunately, the USA right-back’s cross is low and poorly aimed, and Arsenal clear.
Now Kaboul, popping up at outside-left, burns Bellerin, but Borini can’t profit from the cross. Sunderland on top!
28 min: Arsenal are missing a passer in midfield. Flamini is a kampfer and Ramsey a runner; Cazorla’s absence has been keenly felt. No Arteta, either.
Sam Allardyce looks extremely relaxed in a big coat. No wonder: his side have looked very accomplished.
26 min: Arsenal need to pick it up. The fearless Watmore escapes Bellerin on the left, but his cross is disappointing. He’s been excellent so far, Watmore: it was his measured through ball that sent Borini clear.
24 min: Campbell has switched from right to left, but the Costa Rican can’t find Giroud. Giroud has been extremely quiet so far.
22 min: M’Vila has a shot from distance, but it’s well over. He went for power, when precision was needed.
21 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain picks it up in a good position after a Sunderland counter-attack is stopped, but then is tackled cleanly by Toivonen. Then the Arsenal attacker is free in a good area, but his ball in from the left is dreadful.
“Very, very poor for a player of his quality,” says the excellent Andy Hinchcliffe on commentary.
Updated
19 min: This is really good stuff from Sunderland. They’re deep, but are prepared to commit players forward on the counter-attack.
18 min: Koscielny bumps Fletcher and Sunderland win the free kick. Arsenal deign not to pick up Kaboul in the box, but he can’t quite collect the cross, and the danger is over.
16 min: Monreal goes down the left and crosses, but is met by a line of tall clanking central defenders, and Sunderland clear. Giroud was outnumbered by about six to one there.
14 min: Sunderland look very assured, and the Emirates crowd is making its objection plain. Arsenal just haven’t got going yet.
12 min: What is up with Arsenal today? Nerves? Boredom? Hubris?
But then Koscielny, facing his own goal, produces a brilliant soft touch to take one out of the sky and stop a dangerous Sunderland attack. Messi-esque! He might not be able to keep clean sheets, Koscielny, but I guarantee Andy Linighan couldn’t do that.
10 min: This defending from Arsenal is abject. Monreal miskicks in the area, and Flamini, trying to close down Fletcher, diverts it towards his own goal – and Cech makes a great reaction save!
9 min: This has been a decent start from Sunderland, and here’s a chance to get those three big defensive pillars into the box. No, they take it short, to Yedlin, who does really well to take on Ozil and cross for Fletcher, whose nod-back for Watmore is just too high. Good work from Yedlin, though, and Allardyce will be pleased.
Updated
7 min: Ramsey puts his head in hands after shooting wide from 18 yards. It had opened up for him, but he couldn’t find the target. Another waste!
4 min: That seemed to happen in slow motion: Arsenal had started in characteristic fashion, monopolising possession as Sunderland sat deep, but the hosts turned it over and Sunderland sprang so quickly. Borini scampered clear and he had a free shot, with all the goal to aim at. Big chance wasted!
3 min: Sunderland are extremely deep, with Fletcher the long man up front, or “up top”, to use that irritating phrase much in vogue.
But that was a seriously good chance for Borini! Classic counter-attack, and Watmore put Borini clean through, with time on his hands, but he could only shoot straight at Cech. What a chance!
Updated
2 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain has an early run at Yedlin, but his control lets him down and it’s behind for a goal kick.
We're off!
1 min: We’re under way. Arsenal in red shirts with white trim; Sunderland in dreadful lurid green.
You can follow all today’s games with Niall McVeigh, if you prefer:
Five minutes till kick-off. Not long now!
11 - Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 11 top-flight clashes with Sunderland (W7 D4). Outgunned.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 5, 2015
What a zany result from the Britannia Stadium. Good on Stoke in very testing conditions. (It was blowing a gale.) By all accounts Xherdan Shaqiri was amazing.
Kyle Martino on NBC Sports describes City’s defending as “worse than the garbage blowing across the Britannia pitch.” Burn!
Manchester City are about to lose at Stoke. Follow the last moments here:
So Oxlade-Chamberlain comes in for the injured Alexis, and Laurent Koscielny is fit to play. Joel Campbell starts, as does Mathieu Flamini, and Aaron Ramsey. No Santi Cazorla, of course.
Fabio Borini is in for Sunderland, who will probably play five at the back: Coates, O’Shea and Kaboul in the middle, and Yedlin and Van Aanholt wide.
Your teams
Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Ramsey, Flamini, Campbell, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud. Subs: Debuchy, Gibbs, Gabriel, Ospina, Walcott, Chambers, Iwobi.
Sunderland: Pantilimon, Coates, O’Shea, Kaboul, Yedlin, M’Vila, Toivonen, Van Aanholt, Watmore, Fletcher, Borini. Subs: Jones, Rodwell, Johnson, Gomez, Lens, Graham, Mannone.
Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire)
Strange days, these, for Arsenal. Wasn’t this the season they were supposed to transform from flabby also-rans to serious title contenders? Well, November has come and gone, and Arsenal’s quest for the championship looks as uneven as always: steely one minute, soft-centred the next.
At the moment, Arsenal just look so, well, Arsenalish, and they have issues: a loss at West Brom, a draw at Norwich, more woe in the Champions League, more injuries than an episode of M*A*S*H. The Emirates could be a nervy place today.
It’s not all hopeless. City, United and Chelsea have failed to take advantage, meaning Arsenal sit handily placed in fourth, just two points off the top. Mesut Ozil, the ur-assist merchant, has strengthened his claim to be the most perceptive attacker in the Premier League – although David Silva might have something to say about that – and Alexis, Monreal, Koscielny and Cech have been casting come-hither glances at the Premier League team of the year panel. Heck, even Olivier Giroud is scoring goals.
But failure to win here and it’s back to shoe-gazing, crisis talks, and renewed calls of “Wenger out” from Piers Morgan and Claude the angry Arsenal fan. They need to play well today.
Sunderland, weirdly, probably feel OK right now, despite a chaotic, and often winless, start to the season. They have a new manager, a re-fashioned starting XI, and three successive losses were followed by an excellent 2-0 home victory against Stoke last week, thanks to goals from Patrick van Aanholt and the excellent Duncan Watmore, who sounds rather like a character in a 1950s kitchen sink drama.
A change of personnel and a bit of Big Sam love: that’s all any team needs! But they were defensively inept in their 6-2 defeat by Everton a few weeks back, and the plan today is elemental: defend deep, annoy Arsene Wenger, and escape with a point.
Can they do it? Kick off is 3pm GMT, 10am ET.
Updated
Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, read why Arsene Wenger is upset with Norwich’s Ryan Bennett:
“First of all, it’s dangerous to have a camera there,” Wenger said. “Secondly, he didn’t need to push him like he did. He could have killed him. I think the camera position was absolutely dangerous. When Alexis was pushed it did not shock anybody. Nobody suggested that he could displace his back or his hamstring. The injury can come from that as well.”
