The manager’s visceral reaction captures Arsenal’s frustration after a late equalizer ends their record defensive run and tightens the title race.
In a stunning twist at the Stadium of Light, Arsenal’s iron-clad defence finally buckled, conceding two late goals to draw 2-2 with a spirited Sunderland side. The result halts the Gunners’ magnificent winning streak and leaves Manager Mikel Arteta with a sickening feeling.
“I felt a pain in my tummy,” a frustrated Arteta admitted after seeing his team’s 881-minute run without conceding a goal come to a dramatic end. “I don’t want to concede any goals. It put the game in a difficult position.”
The deadlock was broken in the 36th minute by a familiar face, as former Arsenal academy player Danny Ballard fired Sunderland into a shock lead. The newly-promoted side, playing their first top-flight season in eight years, gave the league leaders their toughest match in months.
Arsenal seemed to have weathered the storm after halftime, with second-half strikes from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard turning the game around and putting them on course for a hard-fought victory.
However, the drama was far from over. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, substitute Brian Brobbey pounced on a loose ball in the box, slotting it home to snatch a dramatic point for the Black Cats and end Arsenal’s run of ten consecutive wins across all competitions.
“The last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points,” Arteta said. “We have to navigate through a really tough game… We conceded a goal that is not in our standards.”
The draw trims Arsenal’s lead at the top to seven points, giving rivals like Manchester City a glimmer of hope in the title race. The Gunners had two golden chances to win it at the death, but Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino were denied by heroic last-ditch Sunderland defending.
Despite the setback, Arteta looked for the positives, praising his team’s resilience. “It shows what we’ve done in the last 10 games, winning them… missing seven players in the frontline. It shows how difficult it is.” But on a day where their near-perfect defence finally faltered, the overriding emotion for Arsenal was one of a painful opportunity lost.
Similar Posts:
- Arteta Demands Arsenal Response After Palace Stumble as PSG Clash Looms
- Arteta praises Arsenal desire to ‘keep digging, keep believing’ as hope of ‘big reward’ in title remains alive
- Luis Enrique Disagrees with Arteta’s Claim That Arsenal Were the Better Team in Champions League Semi-Final
- Arteta Questions Controversial Penalty Decision in Arsenal’s Draw with Brighton
- Arsenal Secures Narrow Victory Against Wolves, Arteta Bemoans Missed Chances
