Arsenal legend Martin Keown gave special praise to the Sunderland star, who impressed the Black Cats ace during the defeat at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta’s side had to be patient to overcome the Black Cats’ stubborn resistance and Martin Zvimendi opened the scoring just before half-time.
The Spanish midfielder took a superb shot from outside the box with an assist from Leandro Trossard, and watched as his curling effort sailed past Robin Roofs and into the net.
Sunderland arrived looking to frustrate the league leaders after Monday’s 3-0 thrashing of Burnley, deploying a cautious approach with Regis Le Brice setting up a defensive setup with Mukiele, Ballard and Alderete in the back line.
Brian Brobby led the line in isolation while the visitors sat deep, but they worked their socks off and often made it difficult for the Gunners, even if the scoreline didn’t reflect that.
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Arsenal doubled their advantage midway through the second period following some creative work from Kai Havertz and a clinical finish from substitute Viktor Gökeres.
The Swedish striker was introduced in the first hour alongside Gabriel Martinelli in place of Gabriel Jesus and immediately made an impact.
Gokeres pulled back with a goal deep into stoppage time after Martinelli’s dangerous run created space in front of goal. The striker’s brace ensured Arsenal won their ninth consecutive match and maintained a nine-point difference over second-placed Man City.
As a result, Sunderland are now in 9th place with 36 points, taking them further away from qualifying for the Champions League.
Martin Keown praises Sunderland star Enzo Le Fe after Arsenal defeat
Speaking on talkSPORT, Keown said playmaker Enzo Le Fee was one of the bright lights in a “brave” defeat in which Sunderland played well but ultimately lost.
The Frenchman signed a permanent contract with Sunderland after helping Roma win promotion last summer, and was a mainstay for the team throughout the season.
Le Fey has started all but two of Sunderland’s league games this season, scoring three goals and providing four assists, including contributions against Liverpool and Tottenham.
Keown said Le Fey had added Arsenal to his list of impressive fixtures this term, and said the 26-year-old had proven to be a difficult customer for Arteta’s title chasers.
“He’s a certain type of player,” Keown told talkSPORT shortly after the second-half restart.
“We had a great game today.”
The former FC Lorient and Rennes star is currently proving his worth in the world’s most competitive division, and his quality is not lost on Le Bris.
“He understands football. I think he can play in almost three positions, on the left, in midfield,” Le Bris told reporters in August.
“He can manage different problems in real time. You have a game plan so you can anticipate some problems, but the quality of a player is to solve problems in real time and take chances when you have them.”
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