It sometimes seems like Leicester City are on top of the League by default, with Arsenal, Man City and Man United continually dropping crucial points in the title race, but Arsenal are still sitting pretty just two points behind the leaders.
After three games without a win for the Gunners, and a massive game coming up against Olympiakos, Arsene Wenger couldn’t stress just how important the three points were today. “It was a very important game for us tonight because we came out of three disappointing results. We had lost only one game but I think it was a very, very important game for us today, psychologically, for the fact we had not won, for the fact we had lost important players in our side and we had to show that we can win.
“We were edgy and nervy in the first half against a very organised team who were dangerous on the counter-attack, but in the second half I think we have shown mental strength and desire in our game and more fluency as well. All was not perfect of course but the team have shown mental strength after a goal before half-time. We still managed to win the game in the second half.
“I thought it was important to keep our nerves at first. They were dangerous with Fletcher and Watmore, and their full backs could have exposed us, so it was important not to concede the second goal and I believe it was also important to get behind their midfield, behind Ola Toivonen and M’Vila and to find space in between their centre backs.
“I was more nervous today as I knew it was a very important game to our season today. I felt Sunderland would be very good on the day on the counter-attack and at free-kicks. We played to not give many free-kicks away while they played to get free-kicks so they did that well.”
A great win, and three very important points in the title race, but now we have to regroup and prepare for our most important game of the season (so far) on Wednesday. The most important thing that came out of Wenger’s after-match interview was his answer to the question of whether Arsenal had any new injuries. He replied “no”. That will do me……