SKY
Olivier Giroud scored at both ends as Arsenal toughed out a 3-1 victory over Sunderland to move on from their dismal November.
Giroud’s unfortunate intervention on the stroke of half-time cancelled out Joel Campbell’s opening goal (33), but the Frenchman restored the lead with a second-half header (63) before Aaron Ramsey added an injury-time third.
Arsenal sparkled only intermittently, and mostly when the ball was at the feet of the outstanding Mesut Ozil, but after three Premier League games without a win last month a positive result was the priority.
And Arsene Wenger’s side got what they were after, despite a real examination from visitors chasing a third straight win and a stuttering midfield rhythm in the wake of another round of damaging injuries.