For all of Arsenal’s impressive build-up play though, there needs to be an end product to ensure that they cope without Sanchez, Cazorla and the others in order to maintain their place at the top of the table as they now sit just two points adrift of league leaders Leicester City.
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But he nodded in at the right moment in the second half as the Gunners ran out 3-1 winners over the Black Cats.
Arsene Wenger says his squad will prepare for the do-or-die clash against Olympiacos with an air of “serenity”.
Arsenal frontman Joel Campbell regularly received pep talks from Olivier Giroud, the Frenchman has revealed.
“I was more nervous than usual because I knew it was a very important game in our season”, Wenger said afterwards. They had lost in similar circumstances against Bayern Munich in the previous two seasons. Wenger added: ‘I want to win and qualify. For me our job is to win the next game, and do what is requested.
Mesut Ozil is in simply ludicrous form for Arsenal this season and many have suggested that the Arsenal playmaker is a serious contender for the player of the season award.
‘This time it is the opposite.
Injuries to first-choice central midfielders Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin meant a new pairing of Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini, while Alexis Sanchez was also missing. We know what we have to do and we believe we have enough quality to create the chances and score’.
First Fabio Borini, played in by the excellent Duncan Watmore, fired into Petr Cech’s chest when he really should have scored.
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Sam Allardyce was left bemoaning a stack of missed chances after Sunderland’s weekend defeat at Arsenal, saying his side’s “frailties in front of goal” cost them a chance of victory.
