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Armory continued their march towards Premier League title with a 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium.
Martin Zubimendi opened the scoring with a stunning first-half strike before Victor Gyokares came off the bench to seal victory with his second and third goals in two Premier League games.
The Gunners’ lead at the top of the league stretched to nine points ahead of a tough game for title-rivals Manchester City at Liverpool on Sunday, with third-placed Aston Villa dropping more points in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.
Xubimendi stunner puts the leaders ahead in the first half
Kai Havertz was gifted a free header from a Leandro Trossard cross with less than a minute on the clock, but the German couldn’t get enough of it, denying a good opening chance.
Sunderland should have put the visitors in front when David Raya was unable to claim the ball from a set piece as the ball fell to Brian Brobie, whose shot was read brilliantly by Havertz to stop the danger.
The Black Cats must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when a cut-back clearance by Tri Hume almost went into the top corner in what would have been a strange way to open the scoring.
Declan Rice went close with a brilliant curling effort from distance that flew inches past the post.
Arsenal struggled with fluidity for much of the first half but were ahead from nowhere, when Zubimendi found the net with a superb strike from range after some good work from Trossard down the left.
And for all Sunderland’s good work in the first half, they could easily have been two down seconds later when Gabriel Jesus rounded Robin Ruffs only to chip the ball away for Daniel Ballard.
Gyokeres kills Sunderland fightback
Arsenal were given a stark reminder that they had to play in this game after a brilliant start from Sunderland in the second half. Chamsdin Talby forced a great save from Rye but the Spaniard was at fault for the keeper when he fumbled on the ball for the first time in the game but the ball didn’t quite drop for Hume.
Gyokares came off the bench to score his second in as many games at the crucial moment as the visitors failed to clear the ball effectively and Arsenal’s number 14 punished them by slotting home the ball as it went down.
That goal halted Sunderland’s growing momentum and put the leaders well ahead to maintain their slim lead at the top of the Premier League and it could have been three but for Ballard’s clearance in what looked like a routine goal from a corner for the leaders.
Gyokares had his second in extra time after a great break from fellow sub Gabriel Martinelli who unselfishly laid the ball to his striker before beating two defenders who did the rest.
