Arsenal continued their unbeaten run at the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-0 victory away at Sunderland, extending their perfect start to the title defence to four wins from four matches.
The visitors were made to work for the result on Wearside, with the breakthrough delayed until deep into stoppage time despite several chances throughout the contest. Sunderland had their own opportunity to seize control of the match when Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was called into action from the penalty spot. Enzo Le Fee stepped up after Ezri Konsa was adjudged to have wrestled Dan Ballard to the ground during a corner, but Raya produced a crucial save to deny the midfielder and keep the scoreline level.
Mikel Arteta's side thought they had found a way through when returning defender Jurrien Timber powered a header beyond the Sunderland goalkeeper from a Martin Odegaard free kick. However, the effort was chalked off for offside, denying the Gunners what would have been a significant momentum shift.
The home side continued to threaten as the game wore on, with a dangerous delivery from Xhaka nearly catching Raya out under his own crossbar. The Arsenal shot-stopper managed to get a strong hand to the ball, and after Mukiele failed to capitalize on the loose ball, Raya was able to claw the danger away and preserve the clean sheet.
As the match approached its conclusion, tempers flared briefly when Gabriel and Mukiele were both shown yellow cards following a scuffle near the touchline, adding to the tension of a tightly contested affair.
The decisive moments arrived in stoppage time. With Sunderland searching desperately for an equalizer, Reinildo brought down Bukayo Saka inside the penalty area, leaving the referee with little choice but to point to the spot and issue a red card to the defender. Saka, unfazed by the pressure of the situation, stepped up himself and confidently converted the resulting penalty in the seventh minute of added time to make it 1-0.
Arsenal were not finished there. With Sunderland down to ten men and their spirit broken, the Gunners added a second goal to further underline their dominance in the closing stages, sealing a 2-0 win that flattered to deceive given how competitive the match had been for long periods.
Arteta made a tactical change late on, bringing on Mikel Merino for Odegaard as he looked to manage the closing stages of the contest and protect his side's advantage.
The result keeps Arsenal firmly on course as they look to build on their impressive start to the campaign. Attention now turns to cup competition, with Arteta's men set to face Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup third round before returning to league action with a trip to Brighton and Hove Albion ahead of the upcoming international break.
For Sunderland, the defeat will be a difficult one to take given how close they came to at least sharing the points, with the missed penalty and late red card proving costly in a match where they matched their illustrious opponents for large stretches.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.