Match Report Video By the numbers

Despite the fact this was Thierry Henry's final Premier League appearance for the club, despite the fact he capped it with an injury time winner, and despite the fact he goes back to New York after our Champions League game against Milan in midweek, it's hard to think that the Henry Arsenal story is completely written.

As far as starts to difficult weeks go, that turned out to be half-decent, yeah? After eons of bumbling around in the wilderness every time our rivals slipped up, Arsenal finally took advantage of dropped points around them yesterday by squeezing past Sunderland with very little toothpaste in the tube to spare.

Time to upgrade his statue to silver

If you're a Arsenal fan today, you'll be buzzing. Nothing beats coming from behind and winning by scoring in the final minute of the game. Especially when it's an away game and we weren't firing on all cylinders. Especially when the winning goal was scored by one of the club's greatest ever player.

Predictortron ii first week test scores:

Man Utd v Liverpool: predicted 1-0 or 2-1 actual 2-1
Blackburn v QPR: 1-2 actual 3-2
Bolton v Wigan: 1-0 or 2-1 actual 1-2
Everton v Chelsea: 1-1 actual 2-0
Fulham v Stoke: 1-1 or 2-1 actual 2-1
Sunderland v Arsenal: 1-1 (1-2 next) actual 1-2
Swansea v Norwich: 2-1 or 0-0 actual 2-3
Spurs v Newcastle: 1-1 actual 5-0

What do we think then?

By Alan Duffy

Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal Premier League 11th February 2012

Some wondered if Thierry Henry's brief return to Arsenal would damage his iconic status with the north Londoners, however, in netting his second winner (and third goal) of his loan spell against an impressive Sunderland side, the Frenchman has entered the realm of the God-like for Gooners all over the world.

By Alan Duffy

Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal Premier League 11th February 2012

Some wondered if Thierry Henry's brief return to Arsenal would damage his iconic status with the north Londoners, however, in netting his second winner (and third goal) of his loan spell against an impressive Sunderland side, the Frenchman has entered the realm of the God-like for Gooners all over the world.

Down like a sacker spuds Sunderland forward James McClean scored a cheeky opener against Arsenal after defender Per Mertesacker generously fell over. The German defender left the field on a stretcher after the incident. That prompted Soccer Saturday pundit Robbie Fowler who had taken to calling the Arsenal man "Metzelder" to say: "I [.

Sunderland vs Arsenal 1-2 Highlights 2012 McLean Ramsey Thierry Henry Goal Video is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Sunderland vs Arsenal 1-2 Highlights 2012 McLean Ramsey Thierry Henry Goal Video is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Sunderland vs Arsenal 2012 ( SAFC Arsenal video below) Final score and result:- Sunderland vs Arsenal 1-2 ( James McClean/ Aaron Ramsey, Thierry Henry) Stadium of Light, Sunderland- 11 February, 2012- Saturday- [.

Thierry Henry came off the bench in his last Premier League appearance for Arsenal this year and capped the occasion off in perfect style with a late stoppage time goal that wrapped up all three points for the Gunners.

In a toughly contested match at the Stadium of Light, James McLean opened the scoring for Sunderland 25 minutes into the second half, when he capitalized on Per Mertesacker's slip to guide the ball past Wojciech Szczesny from an acute angle.

Legend. Arsenal true blue. Competitor. Finisher extraordinaire.

You couldn't write a better script for Thierry Henry to end his England return. An added time goal for the winner against Sunderland. A bookend to the bookend he installed with his instant winner against Leeds. Both Wenger's subs made massive contributions to the victory as Aaron Ramsey scored the equalizer and Andrey Arshavin sent in a pinpoint cross to Henry lurking in front of goal to elevate his leg and guide the ball past Simon Mignolet.

Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill admits that the Black Cats will have their hands full when they entertain Arsenal at the Stadium of Light today, particularly given the dexterity of Gunners youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The teenage sensation has quickly become a fan favorite at Arsenal, setting up Robin van Persie's equalizer in the 2-1 defeat against Manchester United and then displaying his scoring abilities by netting twice in last weekend's 7-1 destruction of Blackburn.

What a game in store for us this afternoon. As was said earlier this week a barometer game. A resurgent Sunderland looking to continue their very surprising run against an Arsenal team confident as a result of last week's big win.

And yet, in my opinion both appear to be skating on thin ice.

What a game in store for us this afternoon. As was said earlier this week a barometer game. A resurgent Sunderland looking to continue their very surprising run against an Arsenal team confident as a result of last week's big win.

And yet, in my opinion both appear to be skating on thin ice.

A genial head-nod to all Arselings out there. Things are usually pretty quiet on the disquiet front after a win, and it has expectedly been all shush-and-silence in the wake of us playing Blackburn like a set of drums last week. But just like the draw at Bolton didn't mean that the team was on a one-way trip to Hades, a rout over ten-man relegation fodder doesn't a summer make.

Me and the machines

First of 2 trips to Wearside, starting with the league match tonight and the FA Cup the following week. Beginning of a very important 7 days for Arsenal Football Club according to Arsene Wenger. 3 matches that will decide our season. An European cup tie against AC Milan sandwiched in between 2 meetings with Martin O'Neill's Sunderland.

Me and the machines

First of 2 trips to Wearside, starting with the league match tonight and the FA Cup the following week. Beginning of a very important 7 days for Arsenal Football Club according to Arsene Wenger. 3 matches that will decide our season. An European cup tie against AC Milan sandwiched in between 2 meetings with Martin O'Neill's Sunderland.

Yep, Sunderland are the best team in the league over the last bunch of games. Read Martin's preview for proof.

Kick-off is 3pm London time, 10am New York, 7am Vancouver, and sometime last night in New Zealand. As usual, I'll be here half-an-hour beforehand to provide accompanying drivel and conjecture.

By Phil Gregory

A resurgent Sunderland side lie in wait for Arsenal on Saturday afternoon, though a 7-1 drubbing of Blackburn could prove to be the catalyst for revitalising our own campaign. The draw at Bolton recently means that we really must be getting the three points from Sunderland if we are serious about catching [.

Barclays Premier League

Saturday 11th February 3pm

Sunderland AFC v Arsenal

Founded in 1879 as Sunderland and District Teachers AFC, Sunderland joined the Football League in 1890 and went on to win the League the following season.

Sunderland

Position 8th, 9-6-9 (33 points, +9 goal differential)

Home Record: 5-4-3, +8 goal differential

Recent Form: WLWWW

Last Meeting: Arsenal 2 Sunderland 1 (October 17, 2011)

Crucial match .

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has backed tomorrow's opponents Arsenal to silence their critics, making it clear that the Gunners have sufficient talent to prevail at the Stadium of Light.

Arsene Wenger's men are three points adrift of fourth-place Chelsea and have relied heavily on the incredible form of skipper Robin van Persie, who scored a brilliant hat-trick in last weekend's 7-1 rout of Blackburn.

Last time we see all 3 on the pitch at the same time?

Haven't written in a while, therefore this will be more of a short summation on things that have happened in the past week. No place better to start than with the players.

Emmanuel Frimpong will be out for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Nicklas Bendtner and Lee Cattermole have both been charged with five counts of criminal damage in relation to an incident involving cars parked in Newcastle city centre. Midfielder Cattermole, aged 24, and 23-year-old Danish striker Bendtner were both arrested following an incident in Stowell Street on 6 December.

The football world already has it all planned out: fans, players, ex-players, pundits and journalists alike all want Harry Redknapp to replace Fabio Capello as England manager, following the Italian's resignation yesterday evening.

Some were already looking beyond Euro 2012 Capello had already planned to retire after this summer's tournament to the Redknapp era, convinced he would be the man for the job at some point.

Despite big away wins for Wolves and Swansea, the weekend undoubtedly belonged to the Gunners, who ran out six goal winners over lowly Blackburn. Arsenal's seven goal mauling won them an impressive 7.67 points, easily the highest of the gameweek....
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Despite big away wins for Wolves and Swansea, the weekend undoubtedly belonged to the Gunners, who ran out six goal winners over lowly Blackburn. Arsenal's seven goal mauling won them an impressive 7.67 points, easily the highest of the gameweek....
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Arsenal are now just three points behind Chelsea in the coveted fourth place in the Premiership, so a win is an absolute must this weekend at Sunderland, but with the (perhaps more important?) Champions League tie against AC Milan coming up in midweek, Wenger will be considering his team selection very carefully.

Arsenal are now just three points behind Chelsea in the coveted fourth place in the Premiership, so a win is an absolute must this weekend at Sunderland, but with the (perhaps more important?) Champions League tie against AC Milan coming up in midweek, Wenger will be considering his team selection very carefully.

There's a story about David Bentley.

I kid, I kid. I'm all out of Bentley stories. I could tell you my epic about Arturo Lupoli, his secret agent dog and his layabout sidekick, but it's all a bit too similar to an episode of Scooby Doo and I need to give it some work.

So, what's going on in the world of Arsenal?

Hoyte-y toity The undoubted highlight of Sunderland's extra-time FA Cup victory over local rivals Middlesbrough last night was this bizarre slide tackle on Boro defender Justin Hoyte from a pitch invader. A couple of morons ran onto the pitch. One of them lost his footing behind Hoyte and ended up sliding through the back of [.

Hoyte-y toity The undoubted highlight of Sunderland's extra-time FA Cup victory over local rivals Middlesbrough last night was this bizarre slide tackle on Boro defender Justin Hoyte from a pitch invader. A couple of morons ran onto the pitch. One of them lost his footing behind Hoyte and ended up sliding through the back of [.

The Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill saw his team held until the 113th minute last night before Stephan Sessegnon scored the winner against Middlesbrough, setting up two home games against Arsenal in the space of a week. This weekend will see a League clash at the Stadium of light, and O'Neill thinks that Arsenal will be [.

Middlesbrough vs Sunderland Highlights FA Cup Replay 2012 1-2 Goals Video Jack Colback L. Jutkiewicz Sessegnon is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Middlesbrough vs Sunderland Highlights FA Cup Replay 2012 1-2 Goals Video Jack Colback L. Jutkiewicz Sessegnon is a post from Soccer Blogger.

Sunderland fans would have been fearing the worst when the Wearside club had only amassed 11 points from 13 games in the Premier League and were sitting at a dismal 16th after a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to bottom ...
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After that emphatic drubbing of Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal face a tricky trip to the Stadium of Light to face a rejuvenated Sunderland side who are currently eighth in the table, just seven points behind Arsenal. Sunderland have been in great form since the arrival of new boss Martin O'Neil and one could assume that the [.

English FA Cup Match Predictions 8 February 2012 - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Below are predictions for all the FA Cup matches on February 8, 2012. Times listed are GMT or local UK time.

English FA Cup Match Predictions

Wednesday, 8 February 2012

Middlesbrough v Sunderland, 19:45 Sunderland wins 1-0

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English FA Cup Match Predictions 8 February 2012 - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Fox Soccer has an FA Cup Fourth Round replay: Middlesbrough - Sunderland at 3pm. This is a Northeast derby, so there's that angle. The original game ended 1-1 at Sunderland's Stadium of Light. Copa del Rey on GolTV: Barcelona - Valencia at 3pm in the second-leg of their semifinal series. They drew 1-1 in the opener.

In appreciation of the cat who made it onto the pitch at Anfield this evening I felt that it was about time I drew up another "Best XI". This time it's for players with "cat" in their name.

Cat XI

Between the sticks is Antalyaspor's 35 year old custodian Omer Catkic.

A first win of 2012, seven goals, a striker in the form of his life, and one of the most exciting young talents in the country. Finally a day really worth cheering about.

The emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, in particular, is great news for the club. In recent times Arsene Wenger seemed to have lost his touch with bringing in exceptional young talents, with the likes of Diaby, Denilson and Walcott not fulfilling their potential, and the most exciting player, Wilshere, coming up through the club's academy.

By Alan Duffy

Stoke City 0-1 Sunderland Premier League 4th February 2012

Martin O'Neill's Black Cats continued their ascent of the table on Saturday against Stoke, although the very harsh sending-off of Robert Huth on half-time was undeniably a game-changing moment.