ONE DAY soon Sunderland will beat Arsenal. They came mighty close at the Stadium of Light yesterday, Grant Leadbitter’s cracking goal four minutes from time leaving Arsenal staring at a mini-crisis in the league. But just as the celebrations were reaching full pitch, deep into stoppage time, Cesc Fabregas, one of the smallest players on the field, leapt to head home the equaliser which Arsenal only just deserved.

The goal was a bitter blow for Sunderland manager Roy Keane, who would have seen a first victory over Arsenal as a real managerial scalp. Sunderland were industrious and well organised, primarily defensive but willing to break forward in numbers in support of the excellent Djibril Cisse. Arsenal, denied a legitimate goal midway through the second half by a linesman, never created the chances their possession warranted, a source of frustration and concern for Arsène Wenger. “Is it a good point or a bad point? I don’t know,” said Wenger. “It was a frustrating day.”

The last time Sunderland beat Arsenal at home, Niall Quinn scored the winning goal. That was eight years ago. Not surprisingly, with a patchy home record this season anyway, Keane opted for safety first, bringing back Dwight Yorke to augment the midfield and leaving Cisse to forage alone up front.

Wenger switched Alex Song for Sami Nasri from the team that had annihilated Porto in midweek, but the shock of that home defeat by Hull seemed to linger longer in the Arsenal psyche. Their passing in the first quarter was nervy beyond belief, characterised by Theo Walcott’s misplaced backpass after quarter of an hour which almost gifted Sunderland the opening goal. Only the quick thinking of Manuel Almunia, who cut down the angle and blocked Cisse’s shot, saved Walcott’s embarrassment.

Shortly after, Cisse again tested the Arsenal keeper with a dipping shot from distance, but as the half wore on Arsenal started to establish a more recognisable rhythm. Fabregas began to drop deeper and Emmanuel Adebayor worked himself an opening before curling a shot over the bar. Arsenal’s urgency after the break was predictable enough, and when Robin van Persie headed home Walcott’s cross, it seemed Arsenal had finally broken through. But referee Lee Mason ruled — with the help of the linesman — that the ball had crossed the byline, a marginal decision at best. Whether Arsenal deserved anything more was debatable. Walcott from the right and Gael Clichy from the left both delivered tantalising crosses, one driven across the six-yard box, the other clipped neatly to the near post, neither remotely interesting Adebayor.

Wenger had seen enough. In the 65th minute, Walcott was replaced by Nicklas Bendtner. Sunderland began to sense not just a noble draw, but the barest outline of a famous win. Dean Whitehead was tripped in full flight by Kolo Toure; Andy Reid curled the free kick tamely at Almunia, Steed Malbranque volleyed just wide and Reid clipped a cross just out of Cisse’s reach.

At last, though, Arsenal began to apply some pressure, partly due to the arrival of Nasri, a more attacking midfielder, in place of Denilson and partly because of Sunderland’s growing fatigue. With nine minutes left, Van Persie had the best chance of the match after some exquisite interplay between Bendtner and Fabregas. The latter’s neat chip fell to the Dutchman, whose close-range shot was brilliantly saved by Craig Gordon. Sensing the weariness, Keane brought on Leadbitter for Yorke, who had more than justified his manager’s faith. So too did Leadbitter. Barely on the pitch for a minute, the Sunderland substitute picked up a loose ball midway into the Arsenal half, advanced on goal and thundered a 25-yarder past Almunia’s dive and off the underside of the bar. Arsenal were facing back-to-back losses for the first time in 18 months.

But just as the Stadium of Light was lauding a fine display by their team, Arsenal popped up with an equaliser out of nothing. A corner, a vain flap at the ball by Gordon and Fabregas gleefully headed home to spare Arsenal’s blushes. Arsenal might even have gained an impossible victory as the Sunderland goalkeeper was again beaten to a cross by Adebayor. The ball rolled agonisingly wide, but Mason had blown for an infringement anyway.

SUNDERLAND: Gordon 5, Chimbonda 5, Ferdinand 6, Collins 6, McCartney 5, Malbranque 6 (Chopra 87min), Yorke 7 (Leadbitter 84min), Whitehead 7, Richardson 6, Reid 5, Cisse 8 (Murphy 88min)

ARSENAL: Almunia 6, Sagna 5, Toure 5, Gallas 5, Clichy 6, Walcott 4 (Bendtner 65min), Fabregas 7, Denilson 5, Song 6, Van Persie 5, Adebayor 5