Arsenal remain just a point behind leaders
Chelsea in the Premier League standings after
romping to a 4-1 win over Sunderland at the
Emirates.
The hosts were without Mesut Ozil due to a
bruised thigh but the German was not missed in
the slightest as the Gunners bounced back from
defeat to Bayern Munich and compounded
Sunderland's relegation problems.
The visitors began the day in the drop zone and
never looked like giving their survival hopes a
boost as Olivier Giroud (2) and Tomas Rosicky
swept Arsenal into a 3-0 half-time lead, Laurent
Koscielny adding the fourth after the break
before a late Sunderland consolation.
The Gunners took the lead in just the fifth
minute when Jack Wilshere surged into the box,
having initiated a delightful passing move, and,
although Sunderland's David Bardsley managed
to get a foot in, Giroud was on hand to calmly
stroke the loose ball into the net.
Santi Cazorla had an opportunity to double the
lead four minutes later but Vito Mannone got
down low to make the save.
Sunderland briefly threatened, Ki Sung-Yeung
powering forward before feeding Marcos Alonso,
whose low cross deflected off Koscielny and
almost wrong-footed Wojciech Szczeny in the
Arsenal goal.
But Arsenal were soon back on the front foot
and Mannone did well to tip Lukas Podolski's
well-struck long-range effort over the bar, Per
Mertesacker heading the subsequent corner over
the bar.
Rosicky tried his luck from 30 yards out and
Mannone was able to save easily but the hosts
then went 2-0 up after a terrible defensive
blunder.
Having received the ball in the right-back
position, Santiago Vergini turned and played a
careless pass in the direction of Mannone,
allowing Giroud (31) to nip in and sweep a first-
time shot through the goalkeeper's legs and into
the net.
And Sunderland conceded again just before the
break when Rosicky, Wilshere and Cazorla
produced some dazzling interplay on the edge of
the box before a neat touch from Giroud
allowed Rosicky (41) to dink the ball over
Mannone and score a sumptuous third.
Arsenal unveiled a statue of Dennis Bergkamp
outside the ground before the game and the
mood was unsurprisingly upbeat when the club
legend came onto the pitch to answer some
questions at half-time.
Meanwhile, Sunderland were forced to ring the
changes at the break after their limp first-half
display, Emanuele Giaccherini and Sebastian
Larsson coming on to replace Adam Johnson and
Jozy Altidore.
And they made a bright start to the second-half,
Fabio Borini drawing a decent save from
Sczcesny with a powerful shot from an
unpromising angle.
But their defence disappeared in the 57th
minute and Koscielny was left all alone in the
middle of the area to meet a Cazorla corner and
make it 4-0 with a straightforward downward
header.
With the points in the bag, Arsenal were able to
cruise through the final half-hour but there was
one moment of concern, Koscielny picking up a
knock and having to be replaced by Mathieu
Flamini.
Sunderland tried hard to give their travelling
fans something to cheer but Sczcesny remained
alert and kept out Ki's effort at his near post.
But the Black Cats got their reward nine minutes
from time when Sczcesny punched a free-kick
clear and, having taken a touch to control,
Giaccherini produced a superb finish, smashing
the ball low into the net from the edge of the
box.
Arsenal sub Serge Gnabry twice went close to
scoring their fifth but Mannone denied him on
both occasions.
No comments:
Post a Comment