Captain Vantastic fires Arsenal to victory

Arsenal returned after the international break with a 2-1 win over Sunderland on Sunday afternoon at the Emirates. A fantastic performance from the skipper Robin Van Persie who scored a brace helped Arsenal to climb up the table and into the top half in 10th position. A goal after 29 seconds and a brilliant free kick from Van Persie which cancelled out one from Larsson saw the Gunners pick up a much needed victory as we started to show signs of our old selves. Carl Jenkinson started at right back in place of the injured Sagna whilst Koscielny was back from injury and started in the centre of defence with Mertesacker. However Ramsey had picked up a minor muscle strain so Rosicky took his place in the side. There was no place for the out of form Marouane Chamakh on the bench as Arsene Wenger opted for Park instead.

Captain Vantastic - Van Persie had another brilliant game

Just 29 seconds into the game Arsenal took the lead. Rosicky playing the ball into the path of Gervinho who got down the left before finding Van Persie who cut inside and unleashed a right footed shot which went past Mignolet in the Sunderland goal and into the back of the net.

Robin Van Persie then had a great chance to make it 2-0. Arteta finding the captain before turning past Richardson and chipping the ball over the goalkeeper but only for the post to deny the Arsenal skipper.

Van Persie was having a blinder and he again managed to get a shot off as he drove an effort from distance but it went just wide of the goal.

30 minutes into the game Sunderland equalised through former Gunner, Sebastian Larsson after Arteta gave away a free kick for a challenge on Cattermole. Larsson managed to curl his shot over the wall and away from Szczesny right into the top corner to make it 1-1.

Sunderland then should have taken the lead as Sessegnon chipped a ball to the back post and into the path of Cattermole who from 3 yards out somehow saw his header saved by a Szczesny who dived across the goal to make an amazing save.

Just before the break Sunderland had one more chance to try and take the lead as Larsson headed the ball down towards Colback who put his shot just over the bar.

The score at half time was 1-1.

 Rosicky had a good game in place of Ramsey

The first chance of the second half fell to the Gunners from a freekick after Brown had brought down Walcott on the edge of the box. Walcott took the free kick but could only manage to find the crowd with the shot.

The next chance fell to Van Persie as the ball was slipped through to him from Rosicky but the Arsenal skipper's shot was blocked at the near post by the Sunderland goalkeeper.

Andrey Arshavin managed to create the next chance all on his own as he got into the box and danced his way past 3 defenders before stabbing his shot wide of the goal.

With 7 minutes left Arsenal regained the lead from a freekick after Brown brought down Van Persie. Van Persie took the freekick and hit an unstoppable curling shot into the left hand side corner of the net to make it 2-1.

Sunderland then thought they had equalised as Wickham played Ji through who put the ball into the back of the net but was offside and the goal did not stand.

Arsenal had one more chance to try to make it 3-1 as Benayoun cut inside before finding Arshavin who drove a shot with his left foot from outside the box but the Sunderland goalkeeper was equal to it and made the save.


The final score ended Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland.

The teams lineups:

Arsenal: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs(51), Song, Arteta, Rosicky(77), Walcott, Gervinho(68), Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Djourou, Santos(51), Frimpong, Benayoun(77), Arshavin(68), Park.

Sunderland: Mignolet, O'Shea, Brown, Turner, Richardson, Cattermole(87), Colback, Larsson(67), Vaughan, Elmohamady, Sessegnon(78).
Subs: Westwood, Laing, Meyler, Gardner(87), Ji(67), Wickham(78), McClean.

My man of the match: Robin Van Persie

Referee: Howard Webb
Attendance: 60,078