IMAGES from Premier League matches played on Saturday
Premier League leaders Arsenal's long winning run came to an end in a breathless 2-2 draw at Sunderland with substitute Brian Brobbey securing a deserved point for the battling hosts with a stoppage-time leveller on Saturday.
It looked as though Leandro Trossard's 74th-minute thunderbolt had claimed an 11th successive win in all competitions for Arsenal, who trailed at halftime, but Brobbey struck in the 94th minute at an electric Stadium of Light.
Sunderland defender Dan Ballard had put the high-flying hosts in front after 36 minutes, the first time Arsenal's defence had been breached in nine matches.
But Mikel Arteta's team found another level in the second half to take charge with captain Bukayo Saka firing home an equaliser in the 54th before Belgian forward Trossard cut in to smash an unstoppable shot that gave Robin Roefs no chance.
Sunderland were not finished though and Brobbey showed great athleticism to volley past David Raya from close range.
Arsenal now have 26 points, with London rivals Chelsea in second spot on 20 after they beat bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 in the late game, although third-placed Manchester City can close the gap to four if they down champions Liverpool at home on Sunday.
Promoted Sunderland are fourth with 19 points after a dream start to the season for Regis Le Bris's side.
"The game was almost there," Arteta said, "but you know this is the Premier League and the manner that they play, they're going to hang in there when it's just one goal difference.
"I'm upset and frustrated because it's an action that we can defend better, but as well you have to give credit to the opposition to do what they've done."
SUNDERLAND'S BATTLING QUALITIES
No one typified Sunderland's battling qualities more than former Arsenal academy player Ballard.
He scored the opener, provided the headed assist for Brobbey's late leveller and then made a sensational goal-saving block from Mikel Merino at the other end in a frantic climax.
"You saw again the fight in the team. "The boys worked so hard throughout the whole week. We fight right to the end," said Ballard, whose winning goal sent Sunderland to last season's Championship playoff final.
"The number of late goals we've scored – it's brilliant."
While Arsenal will point to the way they controlled the second half after a poor opening period, it was hard to deny that Sunderland deserved to become the first team to take league points off Arteta's team since Manchester City in September.
They were matched physically by Sunderland in the first half and Ballard showed great strength to hold off Declan Rice before driving a shot past Raya to send the home fans wild.
Arsenal dominated following the break though and soon after Saka had dragged a shot wide, the England winger was played in by Mikel Merino to score after Rice had turned over possession.
Trossard's goal was worthy of winning any game, but it was not to be for Arsenal as their hopes of opening up a provisional nine-point lead were scuppered by Brobbey's late intervention.
"Obviously, the feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points, and we have to navigate through a really tough game," Arteta said.
Chelsea thrash Wolves to climb to second
Malo Gusto, Joao Pedro and Pedro Neto struck in the second half as Chelsea outclassed Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 on Saturday to climb to second in the Premier League table and extend the visitors' winless run.
Enzo Maresca's men are six points behind leaders Arsenal with 20 points after 11 games, with Manchester City (19) hosting Liverpool (18) on Sunday.
Wolves, who were managed by Under-21 coach James Collins after Vitor Pereira was sacked last week, are bottom on two points after the worst start to a season in the club's history.
Chelsea seized control from the outset but a wasteful first half had the Stamford Bridge fans booing them off the pitch at the break. They were significantly better in the second half, and Gusto finally broke the deadlock in the 51st minute with his first senior goal in 98 games since joining Chelsea from Lyon, when he nodded Alejandro Garnacho's cross in at the back post from short range. The goal lifted the mood in a game that had provided little excitement in the first half.
Pedro doubled Chelsea's lead in the 65th minute when Brazilian Estevao beat a defender before pulling the ball back to his compatriot who slotted home from the middle of the box.
Neto scored against his former team to put the game out of reach eight minutes later when he tapped in an excellent cross from Garnacho.
"The clean sheet, the amount of chances we created - these games can be worrying because they are games you have to win and they can be tricky, complicated games," Maresca told Sky Sports.
"First half we conceded nothing, you have to be clinical in the box otherwise the game is always open, second half we scored the goals."
Chelsea had 18 shots, including seven on target, to the visitors' three, and they swarmed Wolverhampton's net until the final whistle with substitute Marc Guiu and Neto squandering late chances.
Wolves' terrible start to the season has them eight points adrift of the safety zone, and no team has ever stayed up in the England's top flight with two points after 11 games. They have scored the joint-fewest goals in the division while simultaneously boasting the league's leakiest defence.
"The spirit in the dressing room, I've seen this week, there's 27 games left, plenty of football, our season won't be decided on Chelsea away," Collins told the BBC.
"The players have shown drive and determination. If we can add a bit of quality who knows?"
Rob Edwards could be next in line to attempt to turn the team around after second-tier Middlesbrough gave him permission on Saturday to speak to the club about the managerial vacancy. Edwards previously guided Luton Town to the Premier League in his first season.
West Ham roar back to beat Burnley 3-2
West Ham United substitutes Tomas Soucek and Kyle Walker-Peters scored second-half goals as their side came from behind to beat Burnley 3-2 at home in a pulsating Premier League clash between the two struggling sides on Saturday.
The win sees West Ham move level with Burnley on 10 points after 11 games and they remain one place behind their visitors in 18th spot due to their inferior goal difference, despite notching their second league win in six days.
Burnley got off to a bright start and deservedly went ahead in the 35th minute through Zian Flemming as the West Ham defence was caught flat-footed, and the Dutch forward was able to send a powerful downward header into the net.
That goal spurred the home side into action and Callum Wilson managed to level before the break with a close-range header after a shot from Crysencio Summerville bounced up off Burnley defender Maxime Esteve and into his path.
Boosted by the goal, West Ham continued to attack in the second half, but all too often their shots were blocked on the edge of the area, and it took the introduction of Soucek and Walker-Peters to change their fortunes.
Soucek came on in the 62nd minute and 15 minutes later he gave his side the lead, remaining calm to chest the ball into the net at the far post. Walker-Peters needed even less time to have an impact, coming on in the 83rd minute and scoring West Ham's third four minutes later.
Burnley showed little sign of mounting a comeback until Josh Cullen pulled a goal back in the seventh minute of stoppage time, but it proved too little, too late and the referee blew the whistle shortly after play restarted as West Ham held on to win.
"It was a big game, we knew the magnitude of it and going behind wasn't ideal, but we've started sticking together as a group more, and being a team. We've done that last week and shown that again this week," West Ham striker Wilson said.
Soucek said he was delighted that his run to the far post proved worthwhile as he tried to make an impact.
"You have to do this run 100 times, and if you do it once or twice, you have the opportunity to score," he said.
"I am so happy we have won at home, we can go into the international break with a great feeling because we are building something."
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