Alexis Sanchez keeps Arsenal’s Champions League hopes alive
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Updated 16/05/2017 at 21:57 GMT
Premier League, Emirates Stadium – Arsenal 2 (Sanchez 72 81) Sunderland 0
Alexis Sanchez celebrates
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A brilliant performance from Jordan Pickford was not enough to deny Alexis Sanchez, whose two goals gave Arsenal an ultimately comfortable 2-0 win over Sunderland.
The Gunners must now beat Everton on Sunday and hope Liverpool fail to beat Middlesbrough - or, more unlikely, Watford beat Manchester City and there's a goal difference swing of at least five and perhaps six - in order to reach the Champions League for a 20th consecutive season.
Arsenal did not start at all well, lacking pace, conviction and intensity. They did still create and waste a fair few chances, Rob Holding's miss on the stroke of half-time a particular oversight, but in the main, it was not difficult for Sunderland to keep them at bay.
Nor was there much improvement after half-time, but eventually, on 73 minutes, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil combined to tee up an open goal for Sanchez. And, eight minutes later, Sanchez scored again to end the contest, the score kept at two thanks principally to Pickford.
So Sunderland trudge on, while Arsenal have now won four in a row. Though a top-four finish is unlikely, if they can win that last game, they will at least prepare for the FA Cup final in good heart.
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Arsenal celebrate
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TALKING POINT
What is Adnan Januzaj doing? If you listen to anyone who's played with or coached him, Januzaj is an elite talent. And yet here he was, on the Sunderland bench, sneaked onto the pitch once the game was over. He will surely not be allowed back to Old Trafford; does he have the gumption to save his career somewhere else?
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jordan Pickford (Sunderland). The score was respectable only because of him. He made 11 saves overall, several of them excellent, and will surely not have to bother with the Championship next season.
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Jordan Pickford makes a save
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Arsenal: Cech 6, Holding 6, Mustafi 6, Monreal 6, Bellerin 6, Ramsey 7, Xhaka 7, Gibbs 6, Ozil 8, Sanchez 8, Giroud 6. Subs: Iwobi 6, Welbeck 6, Walcott 6.
Sunderland: Pickford 9, Jones 6, O'Shea 5, Kone 6, Manquillo 6, N'Dong 6, Cattermole 6, Larsson 6, Oviedo 5, Borini 5, Defoe 6. Subs: Gooch 6, Januzaj 6, Gibson 6.
KEY MOMENTS
15’ - ALERT! Ozil moves over halfway and finds Sanchez; he steps inside and slides a pass into the path of the onrushing Ramsey, but Pickford has read it too and slides out sharply to clear with his knees.
45+1’ - MISS! Over comes the corner to find Holding, alone and palely loitering, round about the penalty spot. He really should score, but seems surprised that the ball made it to him, so plops a header into the ground which bounces up into Pickford's arms.
55’ - BIG CHANCE! Great ball in for Larsson, swung out fast and flat. And Jones it coming in on it! But he completely mistimes his dive so misses his header. Great chance.
73’ - GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Sunderland. The ball goes wide left to Ozil, then back inside to Xhaka. With no pressure on him, he scoops a lovely return pass, Ozil catches it on the half-volley just by the by-line, and caresses a cross that Sanchez runs into the net. That was very nicely done indeed.
79’ - ANOTHER STOP! Iwobi takes the ball on the edge of the box, right-hand side, and skirts around the outside to fire in a low, hard shot ... yet again, Pickford saves, and does brilliantly to get such a strong hand to it, taking the rebound away from the onrushing Giroud.
81’ - GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland. Bellerin arcs a cross into the box and Giroud does superbly to leap with his feet up, diverting the ball back towards goal. Pickford tips it away, but only as far as Sanchez, who nods home from under the bar.
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: Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal and Billy Jones of Sunderland during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on May 16, 2017 in London, England.
Image credit: Eurosport
KEY STATS
With 23 scored and 10 created, Alexis Sanchez has been involved in more goals than any other Premier League player.
With tonight's defeat, Sunderland secured bottom spot in the table for the third time, more than any other club.
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