Sunderland 1, Arsenal 2: One Last Goal from Thierry Henry Lifts Gunners to 4th

Club legend Thierry Henry netted a 90th-minute winner as Arsenal came from behind to score two goals inside the final 20 minutes and secure a critical away victory at Sunderland.

It's fitting that after the sad news that Arsenal had failed to extend his loan, Henry should deliver one last piece of class before his return to the New York Red Bulls.

The Gunners laboured at times against a defensively resolute Sunderland side. Arsene Wenger's team were unable to convert the lion's share of possession into many clear-cut chances. Wing duo Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were quiet for most of the afternoon.

But the Arsenal midfield remained tenacious and efficient throughout, led by assured performances from technically gifted veterans Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky. Yet try as they might, Arsenal couldn't find a way through a Sunderland team content to camp out en masse in their own half for much of the game.

When an injury felled central defender Per Mertesacker and allowed Black Cats wide man James McClean to run on and put Sunderland into the lead, things looked bleak for the Gunners.

But after being castigated for his substitutions in recent matches, Wenger gambled and introduced Henry for the ineffective Oxlade-Chamberlain and Welsh dynamo Aaron Ramsey for Mertesacker.

The changes worked a treat, as Ramsey slammed home a fierce shot to equalise five minutes after McClean had scored. It was a nice moment for Ramsey, who has been much maligned at times this season.

Wenger then once again risked the wrath of the Arsenal fans by bringing on the usually languid Andrey Arshavin in place of Theo Walcott. But the Russian schemer reminded everyone that when in the mood, he can make a decisive impact for this Arsenal team at any moment.

Arshavin scuttled his way down the left flank with pace and trickery and lifted an inviting cross into the box. Henry prodded a well-taken volley into the net for a deserved winner. It was the best possible way for Arsenal's all-time leading goalscorer to say goodbye to the fans.

The Gunners deserve plenty of plaudits for this win. They made Sunderland pay for being so negative on their own pitch and showed plenty of determination to fight back and haul themselves right back into the reckoning for fourth place.