Thierry Henry signed off with a last-ditch winner
as Arsenal came from behind to see off Sunderland 2-1.
The Frenchman, playing in the final Barclays Premier
League game of his loan spell, volleyed home from Andrey
Arshavin's injury-time cross to complete a comeback
which had begun when Aaron Ramsey had cancelled out
James McClean's 70th-minute opener.
However, the visitors were unhappy with the Irishman,
who picked up a loose ball with defender Per Mertesacker
writhing on the ground after catching his studs in the
turf and fired past keeper Wojciech Szczesny.
It proved a difficult afternoon for the Germany international,
who survived first-half appeals for a penalty from the
bulk of a crowd of 40,312 in a hard-fought encounter.
Sunderland went into the game defending a five-game
unbeaten run and having won nine of the 13 games they
had played under manager Martin O'Neill, but knowing
they faced one of the toughest tests of that sequence
of fixtures.
Arsenal's 7-1 demolition of Blackburn last weekend
had not exactly set the alarm bells ringing, but the
Black Cats knew they would have to be at their very
best to get anything out of the game.
They left the pitch at half-time all square, but firmly
believing they should have been in front, not because
they dominated the opening 45 minutes, but because they
felt they had been done a major injustice.
The Gunners enjoyed the better of the possession, although
it was their hosts who created the first real opening
when McClean headed Sebastian Larsson's near-post corner
over the bar with 11 minutes played.
But with Mikel Arteta anchoring an Arsenal midfield
in which Tomas Rosicky ahead of him linked with Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott at every opportunity,
the visitors were a threat throughout.
However, while they were forced to soak up pressure
for much of the first half, the Black Cats rearguard
was in no mood to be punctured and 28-goal striker Robin
van Persie was kept relatively quiet by his standards
with Michael Turner in particular impressive.
The visitors' best chances of the half both fell to
England international Walcott, who fired across goal
from Van Persie's 23rd-minute pass, and then volleyed
harmlessly over on the half-hour from Alex Song's cross.
However, the game erupted into controversy six minutes
before the break when O'Neill's men thought they should
have been awarded a penalty.
Mertesacker controlled Jack Colback's cross on his
chest, but then saw the ball rear up off the turf and
hit his arm.
But as the home fans appealed as one, referee Neil
Swarbrick waved play on.
The official's stock fell further with the home fans
with a minute of the half left to play when he booked
Fraizer Campbell for a foul on Van Persie, and he headed
for the dressing room at the break to a predictably
hostile chorus.
Arsenal controlled the opening stages of the second
half too, although again without causing too many problems
for the home side.
However, it was Sunderland who went close seven minutes
after the restart when, after Craig Gardner's shot from
a free-kick move had been blocked, the ball fell to
defender John O'Shea, who blazed high over.
But the traffic was largely one way and as Sunderland's
efforts to clear their lines grew increasingly desperate,
they found themselves retreating deep into their own
half.
Sixty-one minutes had elapsed without either keeper
having to make a save of any note, but Wojciech Szczesny
was called upon twice within as many minutes to deny
Gardner as the home side threatened to turn the tide.
First the Pole got down well to turn away the midfielder's
left-foot drive, and he then needed to be even more
resolute to repel the same player's dipping volley.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger decided enough was enough
with 24 minutes left when he replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain
with loan signing Henry, but his side fell behind in
unfortunate circumstances within four minutes of the
Frenchman's arrival.
Mertesacker caught his studs in the turf as he attempted
to shepherd a harmless ball back to Szczesny, and as
he collapsed to the floor in agony, McClean ran clear
to fire past the keeper for his second goal in as many
league games.
The Germany international left the field on a stretcher
to be replaced by Ramsey, who needed just three minutes
to announce his arrival in style.
A loose ball broke to the midfielder 20 yards out and
he swivelled to send in a low shot which hit both posts
before crossing the line with Mignolet helpless.
But there was more to come as the game entered stoppage
time when Henry timed his run to perfection to turn
fellow substitute Arshavin's cross past Mignolet.
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