Maybe it should not have come as such a surprise that the team that was able to slow Arsenal’s title charge would be led by Granit Xhaka, their former captain. The substitute Brian Brobby scored an injury-time equaliser after second-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard had put the visitors in the lead following a first-half goal from the Sunderland captain, Dan Ballard.
It was a rocky night for the Premier League leaders, but Arsenal have a seven-point advantage over Manchester City, who are at home to Liverpool on Sunday, and Sunderland, though Chelsea could cut the lead to six in Saturday’s later game.
Xhaka – who left the Emirates Stadium in 2023 looking for what he described as a new challenge – has been outstanding in the promoted side’s midfield this season after signing from Bayer Leverkusen, but the 33-year-old’s form on Wearside will not have surprised Arsenal fans. The Switzerland international turned his Arsenal career around under Mikel Arteta, who did not want to lose him.
Sunderland went into the game with nothing to lose after making the best start to a Premier League season by a promoted side over 10 games since Hull City in the 2008-09 season. A deflected strike from Xhaka against Everton on Monday night had lifted Sunderland up to fourth, a position few home supporters would have envisaged before a ball was kicked given that their team had spent eight years outside the top flight.
