Arsenal vs Sunderland
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal played host to League One outfit Sunderland in a League Cup clash on Tuesday.
The two sides were vying for a spot in this season’s semi-finals along with one of Brentford, Chelsea, West Ham, Tottenham, Liverpool and Leicester.
Given Sunderland are two divisions below Arsenal, Arteta took the chance to field a slightly weaker side, whilst also handing starts to some young talents such as Eddie Nketiah and Folarin Balogun.
The Gunners, though, still should have had enough to see off Sunderland, especially if they looked to their bench which was full of stars.
Nicolas Pepe goes from hero to villain
As a result, it was not surprising when the home side took the lead after just 16 minutes, when Eddie Nketiah tapped into an open net:
Arsenal take the lead! ?
Eddie Nketiah is there to score the rebound after Rob Holding’s header is saved by Lee Burge ⚽
? Watch live on Sky Sports Football pic.twitter.com/pGxo6XJz3v
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 21, 2021
Nicolas Pepe then combined with Cedric Soares before seeing his deflected effort hit the back of the net to make it 2-0 27 minutes in.
However, just when it looked like Arsenal were set to run away with the game, Nathan Broadhead was slipped in and dinked an effort past an onrushing Bernd Leno to make it 2-1.
Sunderland pull one back!
Nathan Broadhead dinks the ball over Bernd Leno to complete a counter-attack for the visitors ?
? Watch live on Sky Sports Football pic.twitter.com/hQXNJdPj7d
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 21, 2021
Following Broadhead’s goal, Nicolas Pepe has come in for heavy criticism for his lack of effort and defensive awareness in the build-up to the goal, with just some of the reaction shown below:
Pepe’s defending was awful there, didn’t even put a foot in.
— Henry (@HManRiZZle) December 21, 2021
That’s a joke from Pépé, my god. Has the chance to press and breakup play before Sunderland breaks and just stops dead in his tracks and watches as he’s bypassed. Beyond poor. #AFC
— Andrew Thompson (@Logiklehrer) December 21, 2021
This is why Arteta chooses players over Pepe, he’s shocking at marking simple man.
— shizelle. ?? (@shizelle_) December 21, 2021
LOL our defense. Pepe what are you doing?
— Upper Valley Gunner (@UppermostValley) December 21, 2021
Pepe at fault for that and for me his attitude stinks.
— mark (@macca_38) December 21, 2021
Pepe was just strolling back
— kennethAfc (@AfcKenneth) December 21, 2021
Pepe makes a challenge on half way line there we don’t concede. Poor imo
— Ryann (@eadesryann) December 21, 2021
This is the problem with Pepe. What was he doing there?? ??♂️
— Kwame McBoat (@mannyboat) December 21, 2021
What was Pepe doing then!!
— Greg, The Tulip Botherer (@AFC_Groningen) December 21, 2021
