Sunderland v Arsenal Player Ratings: Guimaraes and Raya Shine

Bruno Guimaraes’ powerful strike, 121 seconds after David Raya saved a penalty, helped a lackluster Arsenal secure a 2-0 victory against Sunderland and maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season. Below are the player ratings for both teams.

Sunderland Player Ratings

• Robin Roefs: Had poor distribution, with two goal-kicks going directly out of play. Despite being untroubled in the first half, he made a remarkable save to deny Kai Havertz’s acrobatic attempt. Rating: 6

• Thomas Meunier: Posed a threat from set pieces but failed to convert a few half chances. He tracked back to help defend as well. Rating: 6

• Nordi Mukiele: Successfully kept Christos Tzolis quiet and exhibited good pace on the counter, although his pass selection was lacking. He missed a golden chance to score when directly in front of the goal at 1-0 down. Rating: 6

• Kevin Danso: Had a solid, if unspectacular, debut at home. Rating: 6

• Dan Ballard: Defensively strong and managed to deal well with Arsenal’s pressure. He missed a chance to score from a Xhaka free-kick but did win a penalty. Rating: 7

• Reinildo Mandava: Managed to contain Bukayo Saka for most of the match but was booked after fouling him and later conceded a late penalty which led to his red card. Rating: 4

• Nilson Angulo: Energetic on the wing and committed to tracking back, but should have been more aggressive against Ben White and Ezri Konsa. Rating: 6

• Noah Sadiki: Showed intent to push forward and return defensively, though his final ball lacked quality. Rating: 6

• Granit Xhaka: Delivered quality set-pieces and was active throughout the midfield, even making a crucial clearance just before halftime. Rating: 7

• Enzo Le Fee: Always eager to initiate attacks but missed an opportunity with a soft penalty. Rating: 6

• Brian Brobbey: Caused problems for Konsa and White with his physical presence and hold-up play, creating space for his teammates but lacking personal shots on goal. Rating: 7

Arsenal Player Ratings

• David Raya: Untroubled until he made an exceptional save from a penalty. Rating: 8

• Ben White: Made some promising runs into attack but appeared vulnerable defensively. Replaced at halftime. Rating: 5

• Gabriel Magalhaes: Solid in tackles and controls but displayed his usual theatrics. Rating: 6

• Ezri Konsa: Struggled against Brobbey and was unconvincing under pressure, conceding a penalty for bringing down Ballard. Rating: 4

• Ricardo Calafiori: Consistent defensively but not as effective going forward. Rating: 6

• Myles Lewis-Skelly: Avoided an early booking but was sloppy with the ball. Substituted at halftime. Rating: 4

• Declan Rice: Worked hard on both defense and attack, creating a good chance for Saka. Rating: 6

• Bukayo Saka: Missed an early chance and seemed subdued, scored the late penalty nevertheless. Rating: 6

• Martin Odegaard: Could not replicate his strong performances from previous matches but did provide good set-piece deliveries. Rating: 6

• Christos Tzolis: Started brightly but faded as the match progressed. Rating: 5

• Kai Havertz: Missed a clear opportunity but came close with another attempt shortly after. Rating: 6

Substitutions included Bruno Guimaraes, who made an immediate impact with his goal. Sunderland's performance overall reflected a mix of resilience and missed opportunities, while Arsenal relied on key moments from their new signings to secure their win.