London, England – Arsenal surged nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table on Saturday, February 7, 2026, following a decisive 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium. Substitute striker Viktor Gyokeres was the star, scoring two goals in the second half to secure the crucial win. Martin Zubimendi opened the scoring for Arsenal before half-time. ^[1][2][3][4]### Gyokeres Ignites Second Half Viktor Gyokeres entered the match as a substitute, replacing Gabriel Jesus midway through the second half. His impact was immediate. The Swedish international found the net just six minutes after coming onto the pitch, improvising a finish after a stumble to beat the Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs. K^[1][2][5]ai Havertz provided the assist for Gyokeres's first goal. ^[2][4]Gyokeres then sealed Arsenal's dominant performance in stoppage time, scoring his second goal of the game in the 93rd minute. Gabriel Martinelli led a rapid counter-attack, drawing Roefs off his line before setting up Gyokeres for a simple tap-in. T^[1][3][4]hese goals marked Gyokeres's sixth across all competitions since the start of 2026, making him the highest scorer among Premier League players in that period. ^[1][5]### Arsenal's Commanding Lead The 3-0 triumph gave Arsenal a significant nine-point advantage over their closest title rivals. T^[1][2][3]his is Arsenal's largest lead at the top of the Premier League since their "Invincibles" title-winning campaign in 2003-04, when they finished 11 points clear. T^[3]he Gunners now sit with 56 points from 25 matches played. ^[6]Second-placed Manchester City has 47 points from 24 matches, with their game against Liverpool scheduled for Sunday. A^[7][6]ston Villa holds third place with 47 points after 25 games, having drawn their match against Bournemouth. A^[7][6]rsenal capitalized on these results to create more space at the league summit. ^[1][3]### Midfield Masterpiece and Defensive Strength Before Gyokeres's heroics, Arsenal broke the deadlock three minutes before half-time through Martin Zubimendi. Leandro Trossard picked out the unmarked Zubimendi, who struck a powerful shot that bounced in off the inside of the left post. T^[1][3][4]his was Zubimendi's fifth Premier League goal of the season. ^[4]Arsenal's defense also stood firm, securing their 21st clean sheet across all competitions this season. T^[4]his exceeds their total number of clean sheets from the entire previous season. E^[4]arly opportunities for Sunderland's Brian Brobbey were blocked, and goalkeeper David Raya made a crucial save in the second half. ^[1][4]### Gyokeres' Journey to Arsenal Impact Viktor Gyokeres joined Arsenal in July 2025 from Sporting CP in a transfer worth €63.5 million, approximately £54.8 million. He h^[8][9]ad previously won two consecutive Primeira Liga titles with Sporting in 2024 and 2025, also finishing as the league's top scorer in both seasons. Arse^[8][9]nal manager Mikel Arteta welcomed Gyokeres to the club, praising his consistency, goalscoring numbers, and clinical edge. Art^[9]eta noted Gyokeres brings a "quick and powerful presence" up front and possesses "incredible goalscoring numbers" at both club and international levels. He a^[9]lso highlighted Gyokeres's intelligent movement in the box, making him a constant threat. Desp^[9]ite facing some initial criticism during his first campaign in North London, Gyokeres's recent performances suggest he is hitting his stride. Six ^[10][5]of his eight league goals for Arsenal this season have come against promoted teams. ###^[1] What Lies Ahead for the Gunners Arsenal's victory marks their fourth consecutive win in all competitions. The ^[4]team will aim to maintain their impressive form and extend their lead further in the coming weeks. Their next Premier League fixture is an away game against Brentford on Thursday, February 12. The^[4][11] Gunners will then return home to face League One side Wigan Athletic in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup. This^[4] commanding lead provides Arsenal with valuable momentum as they continue their pursuit of the Premier League title.

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