How do Sunderland keep scoring right at the death? In this Premier League season alone, Sunderland has scored five goals after the 80-minute mark: Isidor in the 92nd minute in the opener against West Ham, both Le Fee and Isidor in the come-from-behind win against Brentford, Talbi in the 93rd minute at Chelsea, and now Brobbey in the 94th minute to salvage a point against league-leading Arsenal. Let alone last season's late Sky Bet Championship Playoff magic from Dan Ballard in the semi-final and Tommy Watson in the final, Sunderland continue to leave it 'til the end.
Match Report
The footballing world was treated to undoubtedly one of the games of the season so far on Wearside, as Sunderland and Arsenal duelled tooth and nail in a top-of-the-table skirmish. Just saying that sentence out loud as a Sunderland fan feels ridiculous, and would've been dismissed as far-fetched nonsense if you were to tell me that leaving Wembley after the Playoff Final.
Sunderland kicked off well, keeping Arsenal on the back foot in the opening salvo of the fixture; however, the first well-worked chance fell the Gunners' way, with Trossard floating in a tantalising cross towards makeshift striker Mikel Merino, who met former Hale End graduate Dan Ballard in the box, with Merino innocuously connecting with Ballard's elbow. That wouldn't be Ballard's final contribution to the match, that's for sure. Merino stayed down to receive treatment, but Arsenal had clearly fired an early warning shot. The Gunners came knocking once more, a loose lay-off pass from Enzo Le Fee dropped into Eberechi Eze's lap, but his subsequent shot went skyward.
Remember Dan Ballard? Declan Rice clearly forgot, as he let Ballard and Mukiele execute a sublime one-two that slipped the Northern Irishman through on goal, before firing a ballistic missile of a shot past Raya into the roof of the net. Arsenal last conceded on September 28th against Newcastle in all competitions, keeping teams such as Crystal Palace and Atletico Madrid silent in the meantime. Now their former academy product ends that clean sheet streak at eight games. The Mackems took a 1-0 lead into the break.
BIG. DAN. BALLARD. pic.twitter.com/zaTG0w4KIB
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 8, 2025
Arsenal took command of the game after half-time, making this fixture look how it should have looked on paper: a European giant against a newly promoted side. A second mistake in possession from Enzo Le Fee set up an Arsenal counter-attack, smartly converted at the near post by Bukayo Saka. With twenty minutes to go, Leandro Trossard gave the visitors the lead with a sublime roof of the net rocket from the edge of the box, that no keeper on the planet could've stopped.
The Wearsiders threw caution to the wind once the visitors wrestled the lead away, with wave after wave of teasing crosses followed by clearing headers from Arsenal's towering defence. Into added time, Sunderland were looking for a prayer to snatch a point away. Up steps Trai Hume in the middle of the park, 40 yards out.
The right-back looked as if he was ready to spray a pass out wide to the right towards Mukiele, ready to be crossed in for what would've undoubtedly led to another Arsenal clearance. Instead, on a dime, Hume loops the ball left into the box to who else but Dan Ballard, who nods the ball up, begging for the boot of a red and white stripe-clad player...
Brian Brobbey shrugs off Gabriel Magalhaes as Raya attempts to claim, as Brobbey pokes home a sublime overhead kick, looping into the net. As we have seen countless times at the Stadium of Light in 2025, the bowl erupts deep into stoppage time, thinking a point had been snatched from the most in-form football club on the planet.
90+4'. Step forward, Brian Brobbey. pic.twitter.com/MSkoBKd1C6
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 8, 2025
But the game was far from over; nine minutes were added on. Arsenal dialled the pressure up into overdrive, looking to silence the home faithful at the death, and they almost did. A fumbling cross sneaks its way into the box, Mikel Merino fires a shot goalward, destined to ripple the net. However, just as at the start of the game, Ballard bests Merino, sticking a foot out to block the certain match-winning goal, earning Sunderland a point, and himself the most deserving Man of the Match award I've seen in my life. Full-time: Sunderland 1, Arsenal 1.
What about that for a block 🤯 pic.twitter.com/cKl1ZGUd8B
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 8, 2025
Player Ratings
Robin Roefs - 6/10
By far Roefs' toughest test yet on Wearside, and excluding the goals, he performed well, making five saves. For the goals, Trossard's shot was unsaveable, but Saka's effort should have been stopped. Can't get beaten near post like that.
Reinildo - 6/10
Although making seven defensive contributions, Saka had Reinildo beat a few times today, including the yellow card. Another tough test, though.
Lutsharel Geertruida - 7/10
Seven defensive contributions, only one pass out of 30 not reaching their target, a solid showing for the loanee.
Dan Ballard - 10/10
I should break my own ratings system and give Ballard an 11 here. A goal, an assist, and a game-saving goal-line clearance? Elite. Arsenal fans will be wishing they had kept him instead of spending hundreds of millions on lesser defenders.
A 10/10 performance against the league leaders 👏 pic.twitter.com/60pBmEdEbk
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 8, 2025
Nordi Mukiele - 7/10
A beautifully well-worked assist for Ballard's opener, along with five defensive contributions, yet another rock-solid performance from our long throw artist.
Trai Hume - 8/10
For continuity's sake, Hume should be a 7/10 on par with Mukiele or lower. However, that cross to set up the equaliser has bumped his rating up exponentially.
Enzo Le Fee - 5/10
Probably his worst game in the fabled red and white, two major errors, one leading to a goal. I won't be too harsh on Le Fee, though. It would've been a solid game for him, outside of the errors.
Noah Sadiki - 7/10
Everywhere. Next.
Granit Xhaka - 7/10
Brought down by his yellow, another commanding performance from El Capitan against his former club. Snapping Zubimendi in half, then shouting in his ear while he writhed on the floor as if he'd been shot, a play from the book of quintessential Sunderland midfielders before him.
WE'VE GOT, GRANIT XHAKA. pic.twitter.com/sIBqBSkvHg
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 8, 2025
Bertrand Traore - 6/10
Solid but nothing special, the debut goal will come for Traore.
Wilson Isidor - 6/10
Shout if you've heard this before. Isidor had a solid performance but didn't score. That shot across the face of the goal in the first half nearly snuck its way in tho, more to come from Isidor.
Substitutes
Brian Brobbey - 10/10: Did his job and then some. That goal has been coming for weeks, and I couldn't be happier for the lad. Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra - 6/10: Default substitute rating, neither really made much of an impact on the statsheet, but their energy on the press was refreshing. Eliezer Mayenda - N/A: Late appearance for Mayenda, no rating.
What's next?
Yawn. Another international break. Sunderland visit Fulham once club football reconvenes.
