ALEX PICK OF BUNCH!

Keeper Jordan’s defiance ended by Sanchez

SUPER Alexis Sanchez was Arsenal’s saviour again after Jordan Pickford threatened to end Arsenal’s Champions League hopes.

Once again Arsene Wenger had to rely on the Chile star who scored two late goals, both from fine moves, to keep the Gunners in the top four hunt.

In the 72nd minute Granit Xhaka clipped a clever ball through to Mesut Ozil, whose first-time cross was turned in by Sanchez.

Nine minutes later, Olivier Giroud was provider with an excellent high flick which Pickford got a hand to but Sanchez nodded in.

Sunderland looked like a team who had been relegated but their highly-rated keeper was in fine form as Arsenal had more than 30 attempts on goal.

The visitors were fortunate not to concede three times in the opening 12 minutes. The Gunners had a goal ruled out for a Giroud handball and the Frenchman was also denied by a fine save from Pickford, before Hector Bellerin cut inside and fired over the crossbar.

It was pretty pathetic stuff from a team that has been pretty pathetic all season as Arsenal were allowed to play at will.

Ozil played in Sanchez, who passed a fitness test before kick-off, but he miscued and the ball rolled to safety.

Sunderland sprang into life with Didier N’Dong racing clear of Arsenal’s threeman defence only to fire into the side netting. Arsenal’s frustration was growing and the tension was rising in the stands. Jermain Defoe, who had barely touched the ball up to that point, flashed a shot across goal which Petr Cech did well to tip past the far post.

Sunderland were now in the game, with manager David Moyes urging them on.

Giroud had dubious claims for a penalty waved away by Roger East at the other for a non-existent foul by John O’Shea.

But Bellerin should have scored just before half-time when Ozil sent him through with a peach of a pass.

Architect

The angle was against him but he fired into the side netting with the goal at his mercy. Ozil was again the architect when Aaron Ramsey forced the Black Cats keeper into a fingertip save.

By half-time, Arsenal had had 15 shots on goal but only hit the target with four of them, and most of their players sloped off with heads bowed.

There were farcical scenes after the break when Nacho Monreal hit a terrible no-look backpass and Cech was forced to backpedal and turn it out for a corner.

Referee East changed his mind and gave an indirect free-kick for handling a backpass. Seb Larsson tried a cheeky lob into the danger area which almost caught Cech out, but Xhaka reacted quickest to head the ball away.

Ramsey and Bellerin drew saves from Pickford as Arsenal grew in desperation.

They could not find a way through, with Giroud heading a Bellerin cross wide and Ozil failing to control a difficult chip when he would have been through.

That was before Sanchez finally came to the rescue. ARSENAL (3-4-3): Cech; Mustafi, Holding, Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Gibbs; Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud. Subs: Gabriel, Ospina, Walcott, Iwobi, Welbeck, Coquelin, Elneny. SUNDERLAND (3-5-2): Pickford; Jones, O’Shea, Kone; Manquillo, Cattermole, Larsson, N’Dong, Oviedo; Borini, Defoe. Subs: Mannone, Rodwell, Lescott, Love, Gibson, Januzaj, Gooch. Referee: Roger East.