Our 10-match winning run came to an end with a 2-2 draw against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light courtesy of a late Brian Brobbey equaliser.
After Dan Ballard had put the hosts in front, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard’s strikes put us ahead, only for Brobbey to net in stoppage time to ensure the points were shared.
In his press conference after the game, Mikel Arteta was asked about our performance, the threat our opponents posed and our record-equalling run of eight consecutive clean sheets:
on tonight’s result:
The last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points. We had to navigate through a really tough game, we knew that. It was very disruptive; we have to deal with situations that are difficult to deal with. They did really well and we conceded a goal that is not in our standards, but after that I think the team reacted really well, showed a lot of personality and courage. They scored the first goal, they scored the second goal, we had totally dominated the game and then you have to rely on defending the box when they start to commit six or seven players there.
It can be from a direct play, it can be from a throw-in, it can be from any situation. We can defend the action better and today we haven’t done it; we conceded the goal. In the last minutes we had another massive chance with Richy and Mikel to win it, which I think we deserved to do, but it didn’t happen. I think it shows what we’ve done in the last 10 games, winning them in the manner that we’ve done it with clean sheets, missing seven players in the front line. So, it shows you how difficult it is.
on if he was annoyed with the players at half-time:
It’s not about that, no. We have to adjust certain things, and at the end you have to create against the opposition as well. They are here unbeaten for a reason, and they do what they do really, really well and they make it very difficult for you. You have to be very patient; you have to dominate certain things in order to earn the right to dominate the game in the manner that you want. We did much better in the second half.
on his emotions after the equaliser:
Again, unsatisfied because I want to win, and the game was almost there. But you know this is the Premier League and the manner that they play, they’re going to harm you in their way. It’s just one goal difference there. I’m frustrated because it’s an action that we can defend better, but as well you have to give credit to the opposition to do what they’ve done, to put the ball there, to head the ball the way they’ve done it and then the striker it to do that action and to put the ball in the net. Sometimes you have to do that and recognise that as well.
on the threat Sunderland posed:
We knew that from the beginning, but that’s the Premier League. You don’t get to any place in the Premier League where you think you’re going to have a comfortable afternoon, evening, however you want to call it. And again, it’s not a coincidence what they are doing. They deserve to be where they are, and we do as well.
on if today’s result will hurt the players:
Yeah, of course it hurts, especially when it costs you points. We know that we have to do better, and even though we’re conceding goals, there are things that we have to improve on the ball. I always mention that, and that’s it. Learn from the past and get back.
on how he felt when the clean sheet record went:
A pain in my tummy because I don’t want to concede any goals. And it was a goal obviously that was putting the game in a difficult position.
Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
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