Sanchez’s goal against Sunderland set new record for 2016-17 Premier League season
Oct 31, 2016 at 12:10 PM
Arsenal went into the Premier League weekend joint-top of the table alongside Manchester City and Liverpool but they needed to respond after a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Middlesbrough last Saturday.
They saw off Reading in the EFL Cup in midweek, and Arsene Wenger’s side was aiming to pick up another win as they traveled to the Stadium of Light to take on 20th placed Sunderland.
In a dominant, comfortable first-half display, Arsenal took the lead in the 19th minute thanks to a brilliant header from Alexis Sanchez and went on to win the game 4-1.
The Chilean forward expertly got across his man in the penalty area to convert Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s inviting cross, but, as you can see in the video below, the Gunners put together a move in the build-up to the goal which broke a Premier League record:
Alexis’s goal ? pic.twitter.com/cCYsSmjNvu
— Arsenal News ⚽️ (@__arsenalnews_) October 29, 2016
According to Opta stats, Arsenal completed 22 passes before Sanchez powerfully headed past youngster Jordan Pickford in the Sunderland goal, which is the most before a goal in the Premier League this season.
In typical Arsenal fashion, they controlled possession, nearly every player got a touch of the ball whilst others offered movement off it, and they produced quality in the final third to make the breakthrough.
David Moyes’ struggling team briefly leveled the scores at 1-1 in the second period courtesy of a Jermain Defoe penalty.
However, in a crazy seven-minute period, two goals from substitute Oliver Giroud and another from Alexis ensured Arsenal went back to North London with all three points.
Arsenal sits second in the table, level on points with leaders Manchester City and third-placed Liverpool, after securing a comfortable victory against bottom club Sunderland on Saturday.
The win against David Moyes’ team at the Stadium of Light extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 14 games, stretching back to the opening-day defeat against Liverpool at the Emirates.
But with November bringing league games against Tottenham and Manchester United, as well as Bournemouth, Wenger believes Arsenal’s prospects will be much clearer by the time December arrives.
However, during a tenure spanning two decades as Arsenal manager, November has consistently proved the cruelest month for Arsene Wenger.
Statistics crunched from Wenger’s reign show his team average 2.18 points per game in March, 2.14 in September and October and 2.09 in April, but they manage only 1.59 during the 11th month.
It is as if they are suddenly afflicted by seasonal affective disorder at the awkward junction between autumn and winter.