Sheeeeet .... that's a bit rugged Parker my sympathies .... good luck with the doctor finding out what is wrong with you . Couple of years back I saw three different doctors when I was feeling really crook , cramps , losing weight ....... the three diagnosis "you're fine " ....you have kidney stones ...you are imagining things and a hypochondriac .

The fourth sent me for tests , turns out I had a virulent E Coli infection . Lost eighteen kilos in weight . Took three and half months to come right .

Someone once said to me when a doctor says " you've got a virus " that means your guess is as good as mine .

Eddie!!! On the spot. That was coming.

I'm just thinking after Odergaard free kick and the resulting corner ...Jeez I wish we had some real grunt like Adams and Bould at corners we haven't any threat in the air ..... and we score

There’s really no need to be offensive.

good chance for Balogun there, fluffed the header

2 big chances for balogun missed

Nketiah from his usual 2-3 yards out. He's regularly in the right place at the right time - which makes it more frustrating the one he missed v Everton

2-0 Pépé!!!
Lovely goal.

Pépé defending haha

Nice move from Sunderland there. Cut right through us.

Pépé is playing like an idiot. All over the place

It’s annoying just how many times he has been ignoring Cédric’s lung busting overlaps.

We were completely dominating but we've let them back into it. Really the game should have been out of sight after half an hour.
Nevertheless, I expect a few more goals after the break.

Oi LTG isn't this offensive?

Give it a rest.

And no. There is no personal insult involved.

I don’t think we look good trying to play Arteta’s 4-3-3 instead of 4-2-3-1. Having a single holding midfielder and 2 No. 8’s doesn’t seem to hit the right balance no matter who we play or who the opponents are.

It’s probably too easy to stick the boot in to the back ups but down the right you can see why Cédric and Pépé are not getting minutes.

Not just that he’s properly letting his right back down by not covering defensively when Cédric is committed forward. He caused their goal by charging out running to the ball and the pundits haven’t even mentioned it, and losing possession on the halfway line. He never comes short and plays it simple.

Pépé is great in the final third and hopeless everywhere else.

Is eh trying too hard? Might he be better off slowing it down and doing the simple things well?

He needs to try smarter rather than harder.

Didn’t see that coming. Well done Tavares and Nketiah.

Is eh trying too hard? Might he be better off slowing it down and doing the simple things well?

Lovely goal again. Eddie

And Pépé started it fighting for the ball on the right and feeding Ødegaard.

That’s a ridiculous booking for Balogun. A nothing foul. Sunderland kicking off to the ref got him that yellow no doubt. You’ll see another 6-7 fouls in this game alone worse than that that won’t get carded

Nketiah hat trick!

Xhaka for Balogun.
Loan in January would do the young striker good.

Feel a bit sorry for Balogun being hooked. It will give us a better shape though. Sometimes the fair way to put youngsters in the team is to play them with at least 8 or 9 first choice players otherwise they’re just trying to be part of a disjointed team that don’t play together often or at all

As a consistent supporter of Eddie, I say write him off at your peril.

Brilliant by Pépé, brilliant by Eddie

Look like you were right. At the time I was wondering at which end.

That was brilliant.
Xhaka moving it quickly through the lines. Ødegaard through ball, Pépé nutmegged his man, finds the cross for Nketiah to back heel it in.

Lovely goal

It’s all great and I’m delighted for him but what have we learned?

We always knew he can score againest championship sides and for the under 21s but struggles in the premier league.

Pépé now giving that defender nightmares. Shame that Ødegaard didn’t finish it off.

Pépé giving that full back nightmares.
Edit: great minds, LTG

Remarkable just how much better we look all round with Xhaka on the pitch. He is very good at what he does well. Superb vision.

Be fair TG - he’s hardly played in the PL.

He has excelled at whatever level he’s played. Always. Consistently.

There is the farce, that tackle on Martinelli is seems the same as the one Balogun got carded for

Feels like Sunderland may end up getting frustrated enough to do inflict a serious injury here

More like an orange card wasn’t it?

Yes. I was hoping that we’d see Charlie Patino.