Match report: Sunderland 1 Arsenal 2
GOAL JOY ... James McClean celebrates after scoring for Sunderland against Arsenal.
MARTIN O’Neill’s mind this morning will be set on getting the heads of his players right for Sunderland-Arsenal II: The Rematch, coming to a ground near you this weekend.
The bodies will take care of themselves.
Sunderland have a full week to prepare, unlike the Gunners, who must travel to Milan midweek, and will find themselves in exactly the same position physically as the Black Cats did on Saturday after their strenuous FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough three days earlier.
What the manager must do though is to win the mental battle with his own players so that they go into Saturday’s game full of renewed fire and purpose, gunning for revenge.
Both sides had gone into the match buoyed by good results – Sunderland with a cup win over local rivals Middlesbrough; Arsenal with a 7-1 thrashing of Blackburn Rovers, so predictably changes were at a premium.
O’Neill played with Craig Gardner in front of the back four, Fraizer Campbell on the right wing and Stephane Sessegnon on his own up front.
Though it limited Sunderland’s attacking threat, it succeeded in smothering Arsenal’s capacity to tear teams apart.
The pattern was set early in the game with the visitors dominating the early exchanges, but unable to find a way through a well-organised home side.
Michael Turner in central defence and Jack Colback in midfield were outstanding throughout in breaking up attacks.
The first shot on goal game did not come until the ninth minute when Premier League top scorer Robin van Persie – scorer of seven goals in his last seven games against the Wearsiders – swivelled on a shot from 15 yards out, and forcing a save from Simon Mignolet.
Sunderland replied through James McClean a couple of minutes later, who headed over the crossbar at the near post.
And they followed it up with a classy, Sessegnon-inspired move, which ended with Campbell seeing his hopeful shot deflected wide.
Just before the half-hour, Turner was in quickly on van Persie to snuff out a very dangerous situation.
It typified the home team’s resolve – Colback later in the half throwing his body in front of a goal-bound shot from Tomas Rosicky from 15 yards out and similarly snuffing out a real goal threat.
Sunderland had strong claims for handball turned down in the 39th minute when centre-half Per Mertesacker slipped in the area and handled.
The contact between ball and hand was undeniable, but referee Neil Swarbrick might feel justified this morning in deciding that the contact was purely accidental.
Arsenal proved as dominant at the start of the second half, but it was Sunderland who got the first sight of goal – a Gardner free-kick hitting the base of the wall, but reaching John O’Shea who skied it from 10 yards.
It was a brief respite though as the visitors domination continued up to the hour-mark, with Sunderland at times struggling to find even the simplest of clearances in pressure situations.
The hosts then went on the attack, Gardner producing two fine shots from Gardner.
Arsene Wenger tried to breathe new life into his attack five minutes after the hour by replacing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with Thierry Henry.
But it was the Wearsiders who broke the deadlock in strange circumstances.
Mertesacker was is no danger as he looked to clear his lines, but then collapsed in a heap after turning his ankle.
That allowed McClean to pick up possession 35 yards from goal – the youngster racing forward before firing his side in front.
Sunderland’s joy was short-lived though – Mertesacker stretchered off and his replacement, Aaron Ramsey, drawing the visitors level in the 75th minute.
There was an element of good fortune about the equaliser – an Arsenal shot deflecting straight to the midfielder.
Match Report: Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2
His first-time shot hit Mignolet’s right-hand post, rolled all the way along the line before striking the left-hand post and going in.
It was a sickener for Sunderland and though they responded instantly – Campbell forcing Thomas Vermaelen to concede a yellow card preventing the striker surging into the Arsenal penalty area – the home team sagged visibly in the minutes afterwards as their midweek exertions finally seemed to take a toll.
Just as it looked as though Sunderland had done enough to see the game out and preserve their unbeaten home record under O’Neill, Arsenal and Henry struck.
Andrey Arshavin lofted in a cross for Henry, who had timed his move perfectly.
The Frenchman netted from just four yards out to seal a fairytale finish to his Premier League career.
It was a cruel blow for the home team who had put so much into the game.
But at least they have a shot at redemption against the same opponents just seven days later.
Twitter: @shieldsgazsport
SUNDERLAND: Mignolet 5, Bardsley 6, Turner 7, O’Shea 5, Richardson 6, Larsson 5, Gardner 7, Colback 7, McCLEAN 8, Sessegnon 6, Campbell 6 (Ji 86, 5). Subs not used: Westwood, Kyrgiakos, Bridge, Meyler Elmohamady, Wickham.
ARSENAL: Scezesny 6, Sagna 6,Mertesacker 5 ( Ramsey 72, 7), Koscielny 6, Vermaelen 6, Song 6, ROSICKY 7 Arteta 6, Walcott 6 (Arshavin 86, 7), Van Persie 6, Oxlade-Chamberlain 7 (Henry 66, 7). Subs not used: Fabianski, Coquelin, Gibbs, Benayoun.
Highlight: James McClean’s thunderous finish gave his team the lead and capped a fine individual performance from Sunderland’s find of the season.
Lowlight: Thierry Henry deserved a fairytale finish to his career in England but the legend’s 90th minute goal was a soft one to concede from a Sunderland perspective.
Man of the match: James McClean. Can’t do much more than he’s doing already. Great goal.
Scorers: McClean 70, Ramsey 76, Henry 90,
Bookings: Richardson 18, Campbell 44, Rosicky 76.
Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
Att: 40,312
Email to a friend
Print this page- Newcastle United weigh up bids for defensive duo
- Transfer Rumours update May 22: Sunderland, Newcastle United, Liverpool, West Ham United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and QPR.
- Transfer Rumours May 22: Newcastle United, Sunderland, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Wigan, QPR, West Ham and Blackpool
- Transfer Rumours May 12: Sunderland, Newcastle, Chelsea, West Ham, Liverpool, Blackpool, Reading, Tottenham, West Brom
- Transfer Rumours May 23: Newcastle United, Sunderland, Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton, Blackburn, Tottenham and Wolves.
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Jarrow
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.