Sunderland vs Arsenal match report: Black Cats escape relegation zone but draw frustrates both sides

Sunderland 0 Arsenal 0: Goalless draw takes Sunderland out of drop zone

Jermain Defoe appeals for a penalty (Getty)

The agony, and that is what it is now, goes on, for both Sunderland and Arsenal. No goals and no nearer towards knowing whether there will be the Championship for the former and the Champions League for the latter.

You could not fault Sunderland for their effort and you could not fault Arsenal for their passing, except where it mattered. Then, there was a bad decision, indecision but no incision, a beautiful shadow boxer with pillows for fists.

The home supporters at the Stadium of Light took delight in the point and the effort that moved their side out of the relegation zone, but that there is now just one point separating their side, Norwich and rivals Newcastle tells you the real heartache, the real drama, is on its way, lurking in the shadows to ruin two sets of supporters’ summers.

It was not the case in this game, you knew that from the fact both managers were asked about the penalties that were not given.

Mike Dean turned down a vociferous shout from the home side and then for the visitors in the space of eight first-half minutes.

On both occasions, in the cold light of day, his caution looked sensible. Per Mertesacker certainly did not deliberately handle the ball and his hands were in the exact body shape of a man turning his back on a ball that had been smashed at him, by Jermain Defoe, from about a couple of metres away. His body shape was natural, so was the position of his arms. Similarly the ball that struck DeAndre Yedlin on the arm bounced up off his boot.

Arsene Wenger accepted it and praised Dean for his decisions.

Jermain Defoe competes for the ball (Getty)

After that, it was about the old Arsenal failing of dithering. It is too easy to batter Arsenal, whose principles are what most people want to watch their side doing, dominating the ball, playing clever passes, but even Wenger was frustrated by the lack of punch. It is 14 games now without a goal for Olivier Giroud, and he never looked like breaking that run at the Stadium of Light, and that from a team who enjoyed more than 70 per cent possession and somehow mustered 20 shots. Only the free-kick that was struck by Mesut Ozil in the 34th minute really worried Vito Mannone, who had to dive full stretch to his right to save.

He stopped shots from Mohamed Elneny and Danny Welbeck but they were routine stops. In contrast, despite conceding possession and territory and facing a bit of a half-time rocket from Sam Allardyce - “I told my midfielders to get in their faces” - Sunderland struck woodwork in the first-half through Patrick van Aanholt’s free-kick and in a dominant two minute spell had to rely on Petr Cech saving efforts from Defoe, Yann M’Vila and Khazri. There was also a Defoe lob that was not a million miles away.

By the finish, Allardyce was bemoaning lost points, which said much. Wenger looked fairly crestfallen at the title officially being out of reach once more. Both men must rally their troops, however, there is still huge prizes to play for.

Sunderland (4-1-4-1): Mannone; Yedlin, Kone, Kaboul, Van Aanholt; Kirchhoff (Larsson 77); Borini (Watmore 74), Cattermole, M’Vila, Khazri; Defoe.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Pellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Montréal; Ramsey, Elneny; Sanchez, Ozil (Wilshere 84), Iwobi (Walcott 71); Giroud (Welbeck 71).