Source: Northern_Echo
Sunderland 1 Arsenal 1
Sunderland 1 Arsenal 1[LNB] A WEAKER character would have crumbled after a defensive clearance from 40 yards ended up in his own net, in fact such a bizarre opener could have knocked the whole team. Sunderland, however, are made of sterner stuff at the Stadium of Light these days.[LNB] It doesn't seem too long ago that playing on Wearside soil was actually a hindrance to the Sunderland teams during the Mick McCarthy and Howard Wilkinson eras.[LNB] Nowadays playing at home provides the Black Cats with that extra edge.[LNB] Sunderland were a force to be reckoned with at the Stadium of Light last season and this time around is shaping up to be a similar campaign.[LNB] Even when Anton Ferdinand dawdled, allowing Cesc Fabregas to charge down his clearance, before watching it ricocheted off the Spaniard and loop high over goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, the defender bounced back epitomising the spirit throughout the Sunderland team.[LNB] Sunderland's dogged display, with plenty of satisfying moments of attractive football too, helped to lay the foundations for Darren Bent's late, late equaliser that prevented Arsenal from climbing top of the Premier League.[LNB] It means Manchester United after Tuesday's Carling Cup tie at home to West Ham and Saturday's trip to Liverpool will head to the North- East on October 2 wary. Sunderland are capable of anything in front of their own supporters under Steve Bruce.[LNB] Only United have defeated Sunderland at the Stadium of Light since the turn of the year and Saturday offered a further indication why so many have struggled to come to terms with the desire shown by them.[LNB] It would be easy to single out Ferdinand, who could have gone to pieces after his error inside 13 minutes, but it was the way in which the whole squad responded to such a freak opener that needs commending.[LNB] It was one of those moments where you want the ground to swallow you up, it is a bit embarrassing, said Ferdinand.[LNB] It could have had a negative effect on us all, but the fans roared straight away rather than get on our backs to get behind us.[LNB] It shows the character we have got in the squad, not just me but everyone. Some squads are probably crying out for characters we have.[LNB] The big teams don't like playing here because we have made it a fortress. We have always got belief when we play here. Not many teams will do what we have done to Arsenal in the season, whether they are down to ten men or not.[LNB] Ferdinand's friends and family were there to witness Sunderland frustrate Arsenal, so the last thing he wanted was for them to return to London purely talking about his blunder however unfortunate.[LNB] If I got shut down again five times this season, that wouldn't happen, said Ferdinand, who cut a lonely figure on the pitch when Fabregas' block ended up in Mignolet's goal.[LNB] These things happen and I just had to pick myself up and make sure it didn't happen again. I was devastated, not just for myself but for the fans and the lads. It was a freak goal and something you don't see regularly.[LNB] In a strange way the goal actually helped Sunderland.[LNB] Fabregas tweaked his hamstring in the incident and he had to be replaced shortly afterwards.[LNB] We'd have still coped with him on the pitch,[LNB] claimed Ferdinand.[LNB] And maybe they would have. With Jordan Henderson outshining fellow England prospect Jack Wilshere by quite some way in the middle with his energetic runs, Sunderland's heartbeat was in full working order.[LNB] Once Mignolet had denied Alex Song's downward header at the back post six minutes after the opener, Sunderland took control of the first half without scoring.[LNB] Cristian Riveros, lively without being impressive, and Nedum Onuoha went close, while Steed Malbranque and Bent had decent penalty claims waved away.[LNB] After the restart Arsenal started more brightly, although once Andrey Arshavin had wasted fantastic chances and Marouane Chamakh was denied by Mignolet, Sunderland regrouped.[LNB] It was helped by the correct dismissal of Song for two yellow cards which could have quite easily been four despite Arsene Wenger's protestations but even then Tomas Rosicky blasted a penalty high over the bar when Ahmed Elmohamady tripped Samir Nasri in the area.[LNB] Sunderland pushed and pushed, but the equaliser looked a step too far when Manuel Almunia plucked Asamoah Gyan's header out of the air nine minutes from time.[LNB] But then Elmohamady's header in to the area caused rare panic in the Arsenal backline. When the ball eventually broke for Bent a boyhood Arsenal fan that used to stand on Highbury's North Bank he powered his closerange strike high in to Almunia's net.[LNB] In the fifth-minute of injury- time Wenger was right to question the length added on by the officials, but in truth he should be looking at his side's struggles to handle Sunderland's wholehearted, albeit fair, approach above anything else.[LNB] It was exactly the outcome Sunderland had deserved and provided some light relief to Ferdinand, who thought he was on his way out of Sunderland less than a month ago.[LNB] A lot of managers would have held a grudge (after the player-manager bust-up),[LNB] said Ferdinand. The manager has been good to me and all I can do is thank him for his maturity.[LNB] A lot of coaches and managers would not have given me a second chance, so I have a lot of respect for him for that. I need to keep repaying him on the pitch, which is probably the only way he would want me to repay him.[LNB] Scoreboard Goals:[LNB] 0-1: Fabregas (13mins, chased down Ferdinand whose clearance hit the Spaniard and looped over Mignolet)[LNB] 1-1: Bent (90, powered high into the net after pouncing on loose ball in six yard box)[LNB] Bookings: Wilshere (23, foul);[LNB] Song (38, foul); Welbeck (48, foul);[LNB] Riveros (63, foul); Malbranque (85, foul)[LNB] Sending-off: Song (55, second bookable offence)[LNB] Referee: Phil Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent) - inconsistent with his decisions and arguably should have sent Song off earlier 4[LNB] Attendance: 38,950[LNB] Entertainment: [LNB] SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1):[LNB] 7 Mignolet: Made crucial saves from Chamakh and Sagna to keep Sunderland in it;[LNB] 7 Onuoha: Made solid challenges, blocks and kept things tight.[LNB] 7 Bramble: Another sound display at the heart of the defence, even if there were one or two wobbles[LNB] 7 Ferdinand: Responded perfectly to the freak Fabregas goal which could have seen him crumble[LNB] 7 Richardson: Pushed on when he had the chance but defended well, which was vital;[LNB] 6 Riveros: A couple of nice touches and his best display so far for the club[LNB] 8 HENDERSON: Looks destined for big, big things after running the show against the Gunners[LNB] 7 Elmohamady: Stupidly gave away a penalty but otherwise very effective down the right[LNB] 7 Malbranque: His tricks caused problems for Arsenal and his deliveries were more often than not perfect[LNB] 6 Welbeck: His pace caused problems, even if he would have preferred to have made more of an impact;[LNB] 6 Bent: Had been quiet until he was on hand to strike the equaliser in the dying seconds[LNB] Subs:[LNB] Gyan (for Riveros 64): His presence caused panic and forced Almunia into a high save with a header 5 Zenden (for Onuoha 76) Reid (for Malbranque 86) (not used): Carson (gk), Bardsley, Colback, Da Silva.[LNB] ARSENAL (4-3-2-1): Almunia 7; Sagna 6, KOSCIELNY 7, Squillaci 7, Clichy 7; Nasri 6, Song 4, Wilshere 4; Fabregas 5 (Rosicky 29, 4), Arshavin 5 (Denilson 58, 5); Chamakh 6. Subs: Fabianski (gk), Gibbs, Djourou, Eboue, Vela.[LNB] MAN OF THE MATCH[LNB] JORDAN Henderson - if he keeps up these performances he will be soon in the senior England squad.[LNB]
