Arsenal continued their remarkable away form in the Premier League on Saturday, edging past Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium of Light despite a heated penalty controversy that left manager Mikel Arteta fuming. Meanwhile, at the other end of the emotional spectrum, Tottenham Hotspur's frustrating start to the season persisted after a scoreless draw with Everton left them without a single league goal through four matches.
At the Stadium of Light, Arsenal recorded their ninth consecutive Premier League away victory, matching a feat not seen since the Invincibles campaign of 2004. The contest was far from straightforward, however. Sunderland, inspired by the physical presence of Brian Brobbey, pushed the Gunners hard, and the game remained goalless deep into the second half.
The turning point arrived when referee John Brooks awarded Sunderland a penalty after adjudging Ezri Konsa to have fouled former Arsenal defender Dan Ballard inside the box. David Raya produced a superb save to deny Enzo Le Fee from the spot, and Arsenal capitalized on the reprieve almost immediately. Bruno Guimaraes, introduced at half-time for a struggling Myles Lewis-Skelly, curled a stunning strike off the underside of the crossbar to break the deadlock — his first goal for the club since his big-money move. Bukayo Saka added a second in stoppage time, converting from the penalty spot to seal the win.
Despite the result, Arteta could not hide his anger over the penalty decision after the match.