Yet another defeat dumps Sunderland in deep trouble. We now face a steep uphill battle to regain respectability in mid-table while further lapses at home could send us down. But we were not disgraced at the Emirates – and might even, with a spot of good fortune, have stolen a point …

First of all, let us acknowledge that Arsenal were head and shoulders above the limited team Steve Bruce was able to field.

Throughout the game, the Gunners’ slick, fast football combined with our suicidal surrender of possession to ensure wave upon wave of assaults on our goal. Craig Gordon had as good a game as I’ve seen him play since his epic, pre-Sunderland display for Scotland in Paris. That is just as well as we would otherwise have lost by a greater margin.
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So it has been Arsenal and Arsene Wenger’s week: wall-to-wall coverage at Salut! Sunderland of the build-up to today’s game at the Emirates – plus our Alsacien friend’s intemperate attack on the Porto match referee, Martin “hand of Thierry” Hannsson. Incompetent or dishonest, said Wenger, before prudently settling for “not competent” (an insult that should still lead to punishment).

We would love him to be left feeling the same at 5pm about today’s match referee, laying into him for the decision that brought Sunderland three points.
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