Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has voiced his disappointment after his team's impressive winning streak came to a dramatic halt against newly promoted Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Dramatic Draw Ends Gunners' Dominant Run
Sunderland held the Premier League leaders to a thrilling 2-2 draw, with Brian Brobbey's 94th-minute equalizer rescuing a point for the home side and ending Arsenal's remarkable run of form. The Gunners entered the match with 10 consecutive victories and eight clean sheets, but saw both records shattered in a single afternoon.
The match took an unexpected turn when former Arsenal defender Daniel Ballard scored the opening goal in the first half, marking the first time Arsenal had conceded in 811 minutes of football, as noted by The Athletic. This ended one of the most impressive defensive runs in recent Premier League history.
Arteta's Emotional Reaction to Streak Ending
Speaking to arsenal.com after the match, Arteta didn't hide his frustration at seeing his team's winning run come to an end in such dramatic fashion. "Obviously, the last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points," the Spanish manager admitted.
He described the moment Ballard's strike found the net as particularly painful. "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," Arteta revealed, highlighting the emotional impact of seeing their clean sheet streak end.
Gunners Fight Back Before Late Heartbreak
After going into halftime trailing 1-0, Arsenal mounted their characteristic second-half response. Bukayo Saka equalized in the 54th minute, bringing the visitors level before Leandro Trossard put Arsenal ahead with a brilliant strike in the 74th minute.
Just as the Gunners appeared to be securing another hard-fought victory, Brian Brobbey struck in the fourth minute of added time to earn Sunderland a deserved point. The result kept Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with 26 points, while Sunderland moved up to third position with 19 points, level with Manchester City.
Arteta acknowledged the challenge posed by a Sunderland side managed by former Arsenal player Granit Xhaka. "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," he said.
The Arsenal boss emphasized that the result served as a reminder of the Premier League's competitiveness. "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," Arteta concluded.
Arsenal now head into the international break still top of the Premier League, with Arteta hoping his players return fit for crucial upcoming matches against Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea in quick succession.
