🔴 Unstoppable Leaders! Arsenal Thrashes Sunderland as Gyökeres Hits a Brace

February 7, 2026

Unstoppable Leaders! Arsenal Thrashes Sunderland with Gyökeres Brace

London, England | February 7, 2026

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal isn't letting off the gas. On a freezing morning in London, the Gunners (56 pts) secured an authoritative 3-0 victory over Sunderland (36 pts), solidifying their position as absolute Premier League leaders with a 9-point cushion over Manchester City (albeit with an extra game played).

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🏟️ Tactical Analysis: Champion-Level Efficiency at the Emirates

⚖️ The Possession Mystery: Did Sunderland Dominate?

A statistic that might surprise many: Sunderland finished with 50.5% possession. The visiting side, led by a dynamic Habib Diarra (who was both the soul and the scapegoat of his team after receiving a yellow in the 39th minute), managed to wrestle the ball away from Arsenal in their own home. However, the Black Cats' possession was sterile. While they moved the ball through the midfield, Arsenal waited patiently like a predator.

🎯 Zubimendi: The Hammer Blow That Changed the Script

The match was deadlocked. Sunderland was closing down spaces, and Gabriel Jesus was growing frustrated by the offside trap (caught three times). It was in the 42nd minute when Martín Zubimendi decided to tear up the script. It wasn't a play of infinite passes; it was a dry, powerful strike from outside the box following a Leandro Trossard pass. That goal was a "psychological blow" just before the break from which Sunderland never recovered.

🔄 The "Gyökeres Effect": Arteta’s Golden Subs

Mikel Arteta read the game perfectly. In the 60th minute, with the score still at a tight 1-0, he made a double substitution that transformed the match: Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyökeres entered the fray.

• Immediate Impact: Just 6 minutes after coming on, Gyökeres capitalized on a through ball from Kai Havertz to make it 2-0.

• The Final Blow: Deep into stoppage time (90'+3'), Martinelli showed his selflessness by leading an electric counter-attack and serving the ball on a silver platter for the Swede to secure his brace.

🛡️ Saliba and the "Red Wall"

Despite Sunderland having more of the ball, David Raya only had to make 2 serious interventions. The defense, anchored by William Saliba (who played on the edge after an early yellow card in the 26th minute) and Gabriel Magalhães, completely neutralized Brian Brobbey. Young Riccardo Calafiori was also vital in defensive transitions before being replaced by Piero Hincapié.

🚑 A Bitter Note: Trossard’s Injury

It wasn't all celebration. In the 87th minute, the Emirates fell silent as Leandro Trossard went down injured. He had to be replaced by Christian Nørgaard in the 89th minute. With the title race reaching its peak, losing the Belgian—who provided the assist for the opening goal—could be a heavy blow to Arteta’s tactical scheme.

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📊 Final Match Stats

Statistic	Arsenal	Sunderland
Goals	3	0
Possession	49.5%	50.5%
Shots (On Target)	16 (5)	5 (3)
Fouls	11	8
Saves	2	2