Arsenal 3-0 Sunderland (Feb 7, 2026) Game Analysis
Viktor Gyökeres scored a second-half brace as Arsenal piled pressure on rivals Manchester City with a 3-0 victory over Sunderland to move nine points clear in the Premier League title race.
Martín Zubimendi fired at Mikel Arteta’s side with a brilliant long-range opening goal three minutes before half-time at the Emirates Stadium.
Gyökeres doubled the hosts’ advantage six minutes after being introduced as a substitute on the hour mark. He then added a third escape for Arsenal deep into stoppage time.
Pep Guardiola’s City are now tasked with reducing Arsenal’s advantage to six on the eve of their daunting trip to face champions Liverpool at Anfield, while Aston Villa are nine points off the Championship pace following their 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.
Arsenal’s latest victory puts them firmly in the driver’s seat to end a 22-year wait for a league title with just 39 points remaining from the last 13 matches.
Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Sunderland have been the surprise of the league this season, but they could offer little to knock Arsenal off their pace, with Arteta’s men following up their win over Chelsea here on Tuesday – which secured their place in the Carabao Cup final – with another clean sheet win.
Kai Havertz came off the bench earlier in the week to score with the last kick of the game, but he started here for the injured Martin Ødegaard and had his sights set on an opener after just 22 seconds, but his unmarked header was wide of the target.
David Raya then gifted Sunderland a chance of their own after launching a long punt into the box. However, Havertz was on hand to divert Brian Brobbey’s effort out of danger.
Trai Hume’s clearance from Noni Madueke’s cross almost ended up in his own net before Declan Rice’s curling effort from 22 yards whistled just wide of Robin Roefs’ far post.
Brobbey may have been lucky to escape with only a warning when he went over the ball and caught Zubimendi’s standing leg.
But Zubimendi quickly got back to his feet to give Arsenal the lead and ease the nerves inside the Emirates. And he did it in style too, unleashing a fading strike from 22 yards that Rory McIlroy would have been proud of.
Gabriel Jesus thought he had earned a penalty moments later when he was bundled out in the box, but the Brazilian was offside at half body width when he collected the ball. A curling effort from Havertz sailed just wide with Arsenal in control and ahead at the break.
Sunderland started the second half with intent and Raya were forced to make a low save against Chemsdine Talbi, but the wind took the visitors’ sails away after 66 minutes.
Sunderland failed to clear their lines and Arsenal took full advantage, Leandro Trossard finding Havertz in the channel before the German’s one-touch pass freed Gyökeres.
The Swede slipped while shooting, but it didn’t matter as his effort went past Roefs.
Régis Le Bris’s men were on the ropes and Arsenal were smelling blood with substitute Eberechi Eze shooting wide with 16 minutes remaining.
Then, in the third minute of stoppage time, Gabriel Martinelli fled at high speed before playing on Gyökeres who could not miss his shot. Gyökeres attracted criticism during his first season in north London, but it was his fourth goal in as many appearances.
Arsenal fans chanted ‘We’re top of the league’ and, if City fail to beat Liverpool on Sunday, the Gunners could stay there for the rest of the campaign.