Arsenal edged even closer to ending their 22-year wait for a Premier League crown after a convincing 3-0 victory over Sunderland pushed them nine points clear at the summit of the table.
A thunderous strike from Martin Zubimendi just before the interval eased growing tension inside the Emirates Stadium, before Viktor Gyokeres silenced his doubters with a decisive second-half brace.
Manchester City still have a chance to trim the deficit back to six points if they manage to overcome Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, a venue where they have not recorded a league win since 2003. Even so, after finishing runners-up in each of the last three seasons, the momentum now suggests it is only a question of timing before Mikel Arteta’s side are officially crowned champions.
The loss was a setback for Sunderland, whose hopes of securing European football in their first campaign back in the top flight suffered a significant blow.
Regis Le Bris’ team, sitting eighth before kick-off, demonstrated resilience in the opening half and frustrated Arsenal for long spells, prompting audible concern from home supporters over a lack of incision in open play.
That resistance was eventually broken by Zubimendi, who unlocked the Black Cats’ defence with a precise long-range effort that struck the inside of the post before nestling in the net. It was the Spaniard’s sixth goal of what has been an outstanding debut season in English football.
Gyokeres, who has faced scrutiny for not matching his prolific output from his Sporting Lisbon days, once again underlined his importance. Despite the criticism, the Swedish forward remains Arsenal’s leading scorer and took his total to 13 goals in all competitions this season.
He effectively sealed the contest midway through the second half, powering a shot beyond Robin Roefs after being teed up by Kai Havertz. In stoppage time, Gyokeres completed his double when Gabriel Martinelli squared the ball for him to tap into an unguarded net.
The only sour note for Arsenal came late on, as Leandro Trossard was forced off with an injury. With the Gunners still active on multiple fronts, Arteta will be hoping the issue is not serious.
Arsenal remain in contention across four competitions. They are set to face Manchester City in next month’s League Cup final, will welcome Wigan in the FA Cup fourth round, and stormed into the Champions League last 16 with a flawless eight wins from eight matches in the league phase.
What you should know
Arsenal’s dominant win over Sunderland strengthened their position at the top of the Premier League and reinforced their status as clear title favourites.
Goals from Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres highlighted the squad’s depth, while the growing points gap over Manchester City underlined their consistency.
Despite injury concerns, the Gunners remain firmly on course across domestic and European competitions.
