Full-time: Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0

FOR the third year in a row Sunderland have achieved what many did not even think had been possible by winning a nail-biting fight to stay in the Premier League – and the celebrations in North London proved it.

The Black Cats needed just a point to avoid a nerve-jangling final day trip to champions Chelsea and that was exactly what they got courtesy of a defensive display fully deserving of the result they craved.

Costel Pantilimon made save after save and there were blocks and tackles from every Sunderland player, which saw Sebastien Coates defend like a man mountain at the back to keep the Champions League bound Gunners at bay in front of a frustrated home support.

Arsenal’s failings in front of goal mattered little to Wearside, however, and the ecstatic (albeit relieved) travelling support at the Emirates burst in to a song of ‘are you watching Newcastle?’ What the Magpies – and Hull for that matter - get up to this weekend seemed to be the furthest thing from Dick Advocaat’s mind here. He struggled to hold back the tears of satisfaction as he hugged every one of his players and backroom staff in front of the joyous Sunderland fans.

The Northern Echo:

Sunderland's Steven Fletcher (centre) sees an effort go past Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina (left) but wide of the goal 

This was job done, mission accomplished. After two defeats in eight games since he arrived, Advocaat can enjoy his last game in charge at Chelsea on Sunday. Ellis Short, the onlooking chairman who appointed him, should do everything he can to keep him.

The experienced Dutchman got his tactics spot on again. Without a win to savour at the home of the Gunners since November 1983, Sunderland fans always knew how difficult it was going to be to secure the result required to preserve top-flight status.

Although Advocaat had promised not to set his team up to just defend that was soon what his players had to do, even though Lee Cattermole was initially the only man in front of the back four with a purely defensive mindset.

Adam Johnson, making his first start since he was arrested and charged by police, was given his preferred right wing role. There was a bright enough start from the Black Cats, who looked strange with burly forward Connor Wickham lining up as a central midfielder at times. Danny Graham came within inches of latching on to a through pass early on, but goalkeeper David Ospina arrived just in time to clear.

But every time Arsenal attacked down the flanks they looked capable of scoring. Jermain Defoe, particularly, had the unenviable task of keeping the lightning Hector Bellerin at bay and Advocaat spotted that so switched him further forward.

Arsenal’s dominance with the ball also meant Cattermole soon had to be joined by Wickham, Larsson, Defoe and Johnson deep in the Sunderland half, and the extra men made life difficult for the Gunners to get near to Pantilimon’s six yard box. The best of the initial chances arrived down that Sunderland left. Rather than Bellerin, though, it was Jack Wilshere picked out by Alexis Sanchez in space and the England international looked like scoring until Pantilimon raced off his line to thwart.

Arsenal, as expected, did see more of the ball, regularly switching play from left to right and they pushed forward whenever they could. The Sunderland game plan to soak things up – as Arsene Wenger predicted – and break occasionally worked.

The Northern Echo:

Arsenal's Hector Bellerin (left) and Sunderland's Connor Wickham (right) battle for the ball 

The sight of two banks of blue shirts working behind the ball to block the Arsenal attacks was a common theme as half-time approached, but John O’Shea and Sebastien Coates stood strong and had Cattermole and Seb Larsson working tirelessly in front of them.

There were times when the Sunderland system was exposed and exploited. Arsenal failed to convert their best two chances when both Mesut Ozil volleyed over at the back post and Olivier Giroud shot wide after creating space in the box.

Arsenal seemed the only side capable of scoring and once another Cattermole pass up towards Graham was mopped up by the Arsenal defence as half-time approached, Advocaat’s call to Steven Fletcher for a word in his ear suggested a change was imminent.

In fact both Fletcher and Jack Rodwell were introduced for the second half, as the Sunderland head coach looked for a fresh approach given the workrate that his team had got through in the opening 45 minutes.

And within minutes of restart Fletcher had forced Ospina in to his first serious save. He had to make himself big to deny the Scotland striker as he worked his way behind the defence. Almost immediately, the Colombian shot-stopper then had to stop Patrick van Aanholt from finding the net, so the danger signs were there for the hosts.

The Northern Echo:

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud gets a shot off at goal under the challenge of Sunderland's John O'Shea 

That prompted action from Arsenal, with Pantilimon forced in to two brilliant saves from Giroud’s near post volley and Kieran Gibbs’ back post header before Coates then made a sensational block to deny Sanchez a shot on goal.

From the resulting clearance, Sunderland counter attacked and when Fletcher was faced with just the keeper to beat Ospina did just enough to tip the forward’s chip behind for a corner, which came to nothing.

After that it was more a case of keeping Arsenal at bay. Theo Walcott, making his 300th appearance for the home side, looked to have scored when he chipped over Pantilimon only for the brilliant Coates to dart back and clear off the line.

That epitomised Sunderland’s display – as did Larsson playing the final 12 minutes with an injury after all substitutes had been used – and they even got a bit of fortune when Billy Jones headed against his own woodwork even though he knew little about it.

After that Pantilimon made two more outstanding stops, the second was a belter from Walcott, but Arsenal could find no way through and Sunderland, once again, can start to plan for a return to the Emirates next season in the Premier League.