Why Sunderland Should Be Proud Of Arsenal Defeat - With No Apology Needed From Enzo Le Fée

Pride and defeat are two words not usually associated in Premier League football, but Sunderland deserve to come away from their defeat against Arsenal with their heads held high.

Sunderland fell to a 2-0 loss against Arsenal on Saturday evening, with the Gunners snatching all three points courtesy of a stunning long-range strike from ex-Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes and a late Bukayo Saka penalty.

However, the Black Cats had fashioned a guilt-edged chance to break the deadlock before Guimaraes' opener, with Dan Ballard earning Sunderland a penalty following a foul from Ezri Konsa ten minutes into the second-half to see Enzo Le Fée step up.

Le Fee, who dispatched the equalising penalty at Brentford last weekend, saw his strike into a similar area tipped onto the post by the outstretched fingertips of in-form David Raya to deny the Black Cats taking the lead.

Just 121 seconds later, Sunderland were punished heartbreakingly, with Guimaraes striking a dagger into the hearts of the Stadium of Light stands with his superlative strike, which nestled into the top corner of Robin Roefs' net.

Following the opener, both sides had chances to score, with Raya called into action once again this time by Nordi Mukiele, before the battle concluded with Reinidlo fouling Saka inside the Sunderland box with seconds to go, with the England winger converting the penalty he won to see the tie end 2-0.

From a Sunderland perspective, there were a plethora of positives to take from the visit of the Premier League champions, despite the 2-0 defeat, which flattered the Gunners.

Although inflated by the penalty, Sunderland managed to create a 1.87 xG against Arsenal, which was twice as much as in every other game of this season combined so far at 0.93.

Arsenal are certainly one of, if not the best team in European football currently, and for Sunderland to commit such a gusty and full-blooded performance against such formidable opponents shows the calibre that the Stadium of Light project is operating at.

Not only was it a hearty display, but on another evening Sunderland could have came away with a warranted point, or possibly three, if not for the exploits of Arsenal's outstanding Spanish shot-stopper.

Regis Le Bris was proud of Sunderland's performance against Arsenal, and rightly so, given how disciplined his side were in defence, their bravery in taking the game to the Premier League champions in the midfield battle, and their ability to create multiple opportunities to breach their often impregnable backline.

Following the defeat, Le Fée said "sorry" to the Sunderland supporters on social media for his penalty miss, but the Frenchman and his Black Cats teammates ought not to apologise for the result, and should instead take pride in their performance as the Black Cats faithful rightfully do.