Arteta seethes at Sunderland penalty decision despite Arsenal win

What the report says

Arsenal preserved their perfect start to the Premier League season with a 2-0 away win over Sunderland, moving to four wins from four and staying top of the table, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on Reuters. The result came despite a contentious first-half penalty award to Sunderland, which Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta strongly criticised after the match.

The decisive moments came after halftime. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya saved a Sunderland penalty in the 55th minute, and two minutes later Bruno Guimaraes scored his first goal for the club with a curling finish into the top corner. Bukayo Saka added a late penalty to seal the victory after being fouled by Reinildo Mandava, who was sent off.

Arteta said the Sunderland penalty decision was not acceptable at this level and argued it could influence the title race. He also praised Raya’s performance and acknowledged Sunderland’s effort, saying the home side made the match difficult with their physical approach. Al Jazeera noted that the win continued Arsenal’s strong defensive run and underlined their resilience after a testing contest.

The report matters because Arsenal’s perfect league record keeps them in an early title position, while Manchester City could join them on 12 points if they win their next match. The article also frames the broader context of an early-season title battle and the scrutiny on refereeing decisions in high-stakes games.