Sunderland are under fire after being accused of putting players’ lives at risk in their dramatic 2-2 draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The Black Cats snatched a point at the death thanks to Bryan Brobbey’s stunning acrobatic equaliser, but the focus has quickly shifted from the goals to a controversial off-pitch move that’s sparked outrage.
Arsenal’s famous set-piece power was completely neutralized, and now we know why. Sunderland reportedly moved their pitchside advertising boards closer to the touchline, leaving Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori with barely any space to launch their trademark long throws.
It was a small tweak with big consequences, and critics say it may have gone too far.
According to beIN Sports host Richard Keys, Arsenal will hold an internal meeting on Monday to review what many are calling a “safety breach in disguise.”
Keys didn’t mince his words:
“Sunderland did not commit an offence of any kind. What they did was moved the hoardings in with the idea being stop Arsenal using long throws.”
“But… in a time where we’ve recently had a fatality because of the proximity of a concrete wall, I just looked at that yesterday and it looked a bit close for me. That might be endangering the wellbeing of those on the football pitch.”
The fatality Keys referenced was that of former Arsenal youngster Billy Vigar, who tragically died in September after colliding with a wall positioned too close to the field, making Sunderland’s stunt all the more alarming.
Even Arsenal players were said to have noticed the tight spacing after the match, sparking heated conversations in the dressing room.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris didn’t deny it either. With a grin, he confessed:
“Yeah, we tried to find the details to win the game… It was absolutely obvious this threat was really important for this game and in the end it was balanced.”
Smart or shameful? Fans are split. While some hail it as a tactical masterstroke, others see it as a reckless gamble that could have ended in disaster.
For now, Sunderland walk away with a hard-fought point, but possibly a bigger fight off the pitch, as the debate over where “gamesmanship” ends and “endangerment” begins takes centre stage in the Premier League.
