Sunderland 0-2 Arsenal: Report, result, goals as Guimaraes hits winner

Bruno Guimaraes curled in a sublime second-half strike and Bukayo Saka added a penalty as Arsenal moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League by beating Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Two minutes after visiting goalkeeper David Raya saved Enzo Le Fee’s penalty, £75 million new signing Guimaraes collected Declan Rice’s pass and struck from distance, wheeling away to goad home fans after the former Newcastle midfielder was booed following his introduction at the interval.

Bruno Guimarães silences the Stadium of Light with a BEAUTY 🥵🚀

📺 Stream with TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/zQHSSLxC3o

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026

The Black Cats had much of the momentum either side of half-time and tested Raya late on through Nordi Mukiele, although they lacked a cutting edge from presentable chances and were grateful to goalkeeper Robin Roefs for tipping Kai Havertz’s first-half shot over the crossbar.

Bukayo Saka wraps up all three points for Arsenal from the spot 🥶

📺 Stream with TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/UrLyrykwlh

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026

Saka sealed victory with a 97th-minute penalty via Roefs’ fingers, converting after Reinildo had received a second booking for bringing down the England winger.

The Gunners are three points above Manchester City, who visit Manchester United on Sunday (16:30 BST), while Sunderland remain 14th, on four points.

Enzo Le Fée is denied by David Raya from the spot 😳🧤

📺 Stream with TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/wnoMCDVh88

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026

Sunderland vs Arsenal: Guimaraes goal ‘outrageous’

All three of Guimaraes’ appearances for Arsenal this season have been as a substitute, joining the action alongside Jurrien Timber in place of Myles Lewis-Skelly and the injured Ben White at half-time.

“What a hit,” former England striker Dean Ashton told TalkSport of the Brazil international’s goal. “Absolutely outrageous.

“He really sizes it up; he hits it with power and dip with his right foot away from Roefs, kissing the underside of the crossbar and in.

“He wasn’t shy [to celebrate], by the way. I’m not a big fan of that – he knows what it would mean to the Sunderland support.

“He goes right up to them, many of them running down the stairs towards him. He really gave it to them.”

Mikel Arteta receives a yellow card for stepping out of the technical area 😅

📺 Stream with TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/xDlnL1B9MY

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026

Sunderland penalty vs Arsenal ‘soft’

Ashton was less sympathetic to Sunderland over Le Fee’s penalty, which was awarded for Ezri Konsa holding Dan Ballard.

“It is one of those you would see so often in games,” suggested Ashton. “It’s not so obvious. There’s not one big push… there’s none of that at all.

“It’s just a real tussle. They’ve both got hold of each other and they’ve given the penalty. It’s really soft.

“Dan Ballard’s backing in. He’s got hold of Konsa, Konsa has got hold of him. There’s no genuine real tug or push in the back with the arms shoved forwards… a bit of a gift for Sunderland.”

Sunderland team vs Arsenal

Sunderland were unchanged from their 1-1 draw at Brentford a week earlier.

Sunderland starting XI: Roefs, Mandava, Ballard, Danso, Mukiele, Sadiki, Xhaka, Angulo, Le Fée, Meunier, Brobbey

Sunderland substitutes: Ellborg, Hume, O’Nien, Alderete, Methalie, Talbi, Rigg, Fofana, Isidor.

Arsenal team vs Sunderland

Arsenal made four changes from their 1-0 win at Napoli three days earlier, bringing in Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arsenal starting XI: David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel, Ezri Konsa, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice, Christos Tzolis, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz

Arsenal substitutes: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Piero Hincapie, Jurrien Timber, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Bruno Guimaraes, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres

Sunderland v Arsenal stats, Premier League form

• Sunderland have won one of their last 30 Premier League meetings with Arsenal (D10 L19) and are winless in 18 (D6 L12) since a 1-0 home victory in November 2009 through Darren Bent’s goal
• At home against Arsenal in the league, Sunderland have one win in their last 15 matches (D5 L9), suffering defeats in five of their last seven (D2), although this exact fixture finished 2-2 last season
• All four of the Black Cats’ home wins against reigning Premier League champions have been against different teams (Man Utd 1996/97, Man City 2012/13, Chelsea 2015/16, Leicester 2016/17)
• They had won their previous two Premier League home games – against Chelsea and Fulham – and last prevailed in three in a row at the Stadium of Light in January/February 2012, all against City sides (Manchester, Swansea, Norwich)
• Before this match, Granit Xhaka lad all Sunderland players in the Premier League this season for touches (243) and chances created (7)
• The playmaker was also top among the squad for passes played into the box (26), fouls won (8) and successful passes (163)
• This is the second Premier League campaign in which Arsenal have faced Sunderland as reigning champions, previously beating them 3-1 at home and 4-0 away in 2002/03.
• Arsenal have won each of their first four games in a top-flight season for the sixth time in their history
• They proceeded to win the league the first three times they did so (1930/31, 1947/48, 2003/04) and have finished second after the last two occasions (2004/05, 2022/23)