The advertising boards around the pitch were moved in to give Arsenal players less space for long throws
According to BBC SPORT reporting, the Arsenal “machine,” which had looked an unstoppable force this season, was dramatically halted on Saturday as pre-season relegation favorites Sunderland battled to a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light. The result denied the Gunners the chance to extend their winning run to 11 consecutive games and achieve a club-record ninth clean sheet, which would have sent them eight points clear at the top.
Regis le Bris’ side used disruptive tactics to unsettle the league leaders. To combat Arsenal’s increasing threat from long throws, Sunderland moved the advertising boards closer to the pitch. When asked about this detail, Le Bris stated, “We tried to find the details to win the game.” Led by former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka, the Black Cats were aggressive and brave in the tackle, managing to restrict the Gunners to just two corners all game.
Sunderland scored the first goal Arsenal had conceded since September when Dan Ballard gave them a first-half lead. Although the Gunners then recovered to lead 2-1, the late twist came in injury time as Brian Brobbey delivered an acrobatic finish for a dramatic equaliser, which was Sunderland’s fifth goal scored from the 90th minute onwards this season.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta acknowledged the nature of the result, saying, “We conceded a goal in a manner we knew was one of their biggest strengths… But in any moment, they just need a foul or a long throw, a direct ball to create that chaos.” The draw meant Arsenal failed to beat a promoted side for the first time since May 2023, ending a 14-game winning run against such teams.