Theo Walcott handed Arsene Wenger a winning finish to the season with the only goal at Sunderland. The England Under-21 international fired home from Gilberto’s 24th-minute pass to claim the points as the Wearsiders fought them all the way to the whistle.

In truth, had the Gunners been more clinical in front of goal, with Emmanuel Adebayor and Gilberto both passing up good opportunities, they might have won more comfortably. As it was, Roy O’Donovan went close for Sunderland, who also had appeals for a late penalty waved away.

One goal was enough for Arsenal to cement their position in third place as Roy Keane’s men ended a tough campaign with a home defeat, but a spirited display which was warmly applauded by a sell-out crowd of 47,802.

With little at stake for either side other than pride, both sets of fans arrived for a relaxed end of season afternoon, and that atmosphere was reflected on the pitch.

A strong but youthful Arsenal team predictably passed the ball and moved with ease, while the Black Cats, for who keeper Marton Fulop made a first appearance of the season alongside Ross Wallace on his return from a long-term knee injury, attempted to put memories of last weekend’s tame surrender at Bolton behind them.

However, while the Gunners’ football was at times typically attractive, they also showed a creditable solidity at the back as Keane’s men gave it a real go.

There were just 14 seconds on the clock when Carlos Edwards unleashed a searing half-volley which welcomed keeper Lukasz Fabianski to the Stadium of Light.

However, it was opposite number Fulop who had to be at his best with seven minutes gone when Adebayor waltzed through the home defence only to be denied by the keeper’s legs.

Grant Leadbitter and the impressive Dwight Yorke, who demonstrated exactly why he has a chance of winning a new contract with a pivotal first-half display, both shot over from distance and the Wearsiders give as good as they got before the break.

However, it was a man at the other end of his career to the veteran former Manchester United star who broke the deadlock with 24 minutes gone.

Walcott, who had earlier forced a good save from Fulop with a left-foot drive, left the home defence in his wake to run on to Gilberto’s inch-perfect pass, and his assured finish was too good for the keeper.

But to their credit, Sunderland refused to buckle and Leadbitter might have done better with a 34th-minute header which he flicked over the bar.

Walcott could have doubled his tally five minutes before half-time after Emmanuel Eboue and Adebayor had combined to open up the home side once again, but his instinctive reaction to the striker’s cross sent the ball wide of the target.

Keane’s players left the pitch to warm applause on the whistle, but they did so with their manager awaiting news of striker Kenwyne Jones, who had earlier headed down the tunnel clutching his wrist after blocking a Gilberto piledriver with his arm.

Jones failed to re-appear as O’Donovan took his place, and the newcomer almost had a swift impact when he sent a looping 50th-minute header over the bar from Danny Collins’ cross.

The minds of the home fans were already turning to next season, and when central defender Jonny Evans neatly got himself out of trouble inside his own penalty area, chants imploring him to make his loan move from Manchester United permanent rang around the stadium.

But they were up in arms with 58 minutes gone when referee Keith Stroud ruled that Dean Whitehead’s intervention to cut out Walcott’s cross amounted to a back-pass and awarded Arsenal an indirect free-kick just yards from goal. Adebayor tapped the ball square to Gilberto, but he hammered his shot high and wide.

Sunderland, however, continued to cause problems for the visitors, and they could have been level with 65 minutes gone had O’Donovan not scuffed the ball straight at Fabianski from Yorke’s cross.

The game would have been over with 22 minutes to play had Adebayor made any meaningful connection with Walcott’s cross. But the game was far from won and O’Donovan perhaps should have done better with 16 minutes remaining when he dragged a shot wide of the far post.

Fellow substitute Michael Chopra had strong appeals for a 79th-minute penalty waved away after he went down under Alexandre Song’s challenge. Gunners replacement Mark Randall had a goal ruled out for offside and forced another save from Fulop, but O’Donovan almost snatched a point with a late volley.