Published: 10 December, 2015
by STEVE BARNETT

ARSENE Wenger believes Arsenal’s 3-1 victory against Sunderland on Saturday will prove to be a “pivotal” point in their season. 

Goals from Joel Campbell, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey saw the Gunners secure a convincing victory at the Emirates Stadium, ending a run of three Premier League games without a win. 

Wenger admitted that he was “nervous” before kick-off, especially as his side were without injured duo Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez. 

“In my mind I was a little bit more nervous than usual because I felt it was a pivotal game,” he told Arsenal Player. “It was our first game without the injured players and we absolutely had to win. We played against a difficult team who were well organised and good on the break, so all the ingredients were there for a disappointing result. 

“Because we hadn’t won for three games people would have said we were in a crisis if we had dropped points. 

“We were a bit edgy, a bit nervous, in the first half,” Wenger added. “But in the second half, we played with more freedom, fluency and incisiveness which is how we won the game.” 

The sides will meet again at the Emirates in the second week of January after FA Cup holders Arsenal were paired against the Black Cats of Sunderland in the third round draw.