Bruno Guimaraes scored a sublime second-half goal and Bukayo Saka added a penalty as Arsenal moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League by beating Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
Two minutes later, visiting goalkeeper David Raya saved Enzo Le Fee’s penalty, Guimaraes new signing of 75 million pounds he collected Declan Rice’s pass and struck from distance, drifting to goad the home fans after the former Newcastle midfielder was booed following his introduction at the interval.
Bruno Guimarães silences the Estadio de la Llum with a BEAUTY 🥵🚀
📺 Stream with TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/zQHSSLxC3o
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026
The Black Cats had much of the momentum either side of the half and scored a try stripe at the end of Nordi Mukiele, although he did not have the cutting edge of presentable chances and they had goalkeeper Robin Roefs to thank for tipping Kai Havertz’s first-half shot over the bar.
Bukayo Saka closes the three points for Arsenal from the moment 🥶
📺 Stream with TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/UrLyrykwlh
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026
Saka sealed the win with a 97th-minute penalty through the fingers of Roefs, converting after Reinildo had been shown a second booking for bringing down the England winger.
The Gunners are three points above Manchester Citywho visit Manchester United on Sunday (16:30 BST), while Sunderland remain 14th, with four points.
Enzo Le Fée is denied by David Raya 😳🧤
📺 Stream with TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/wnoMCDVh88
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026
Sunderland vs Arsenal: Guimaraes goal ‘outrageous’
All three of Guimaraes’ Arsenal appearances this season have been as a substitute, joining the action alongside Jurrien Timber in place of Myles Lewis-Skelly and the injured Ben White at half-time.
“What an achievement,” former England striker Dean Ashton told TalkSport of the Brazil international’s goal. “Absolutely outrageous.
“He really makes it bigger; he hits it with power and right-footed it away from Roefs, kissing the underside of the crossbar and in.
“He wasn’t shy (celebrating) by the way, I’m not a big fan of it, he knows what it would mean to the Sunderland support.
“He goes right up to them, a lot of them run up the stairs to him. He really gave it to them.”
Mikel Arteta receives a yellow card for leaving the technical area 😅
📺 Stream with TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/xDlnL1B9MY
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026
Sunderland penalty against Arsenal ‘soft’
Ashton showed less sympathy for Sunderland for Le Fee’s penalty, which was conceded by Ezri Konsa who had Dan Ballard.
“It’s one of those you’d see so often in games,” Ashton suggested. “It’s not that obvious. There’s no big push… there’s nothing like that at all.
“It’s a real tussle. They’ve both got on each other and given the penalty. It’s very smooth.”
“Dan Ballard is leaning back. He’s got hold of Konsa, Konsa has held him. There’s no real pulling or pushing on the back with the arms pushing forward … a bit of a gift for Sunderland.”
Sunderland team vs Arsenal
Sunderland they were unchanged from their 1-1 draw at Brentford a week earlier.
Sunderland Starting XI: Roefs, Mandava, Ballard, Danso, Mukiele, Sadiki, Xhaka, Angulo, Le Fairy, Meunier, Brobbey
Sunderland substitutes: Ellborg, Hume, O’Nien, Alderete, Methalie, Talbi, Rigg, Fofana, Isidor.
Arsenal team vs Sunderland
Arsenal made four changes from their 1-0 win at Napoli three days earlier, with Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly all included.
arsenal from the XI: David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel, Ezri Konsa, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice, Christos Tzolis, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz
arsenal substitutes: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Piero Hincapie, Jurrien Timber, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Bruno Guimaraes, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres
Sunderland v Arsenal stats, Premier League form
- Sunderland have won one of their last 30 Premier League meetings with Arsenal (D10 L19) and are unbeaten in 18 (D6L12 L) since a 1-0 home win in November 2009 thanks to Darren Bent’s goal.
- At home to Arsenal in the league, Sunderland have one win in their last 15 games (D5 D9), lost in five of their last seven (D2), although that fixture ended 2-2 last season.
- All four of the Black Cats’ home wins against the reigning Premier League champions have come against different teams (Man Utd 1996/97, Man City 2012/13, Chelsea 2015/16, Leicester 2016/17)
- They had won their previous two Premier League games at home, against Chelsea and Fulham, and last won three in a row at the Stadium of Light in January/February 2012, all against City sides (Manchester, Swansea, Norwich).
- Prior to this game, Granit Xhaka led all Sunderland players in the Premier League this season for touches (243) and chances created (7)
- The playmaker also led the squad in passes played in the box (26), fouls won (8) and passes successful (163).
- This is the second Premier League campaign in which Arsenal have faced reigning champions Sunderland, having beaten them 3-1 at home and 4-0 away in 2002/03.
- Arsenal have won each of their first four games in a top-flight season for the sixth time in their history
- They went on to win the league the first three times they did so (1930/31, 1947/48, 2003/04) and have finished second after the last two occasions (2004/05, 2022/23).
