Mikel Arteta told Viktor Gyokeres he would come off the bench to have an impact against Sunderland, with the Swede netting a second-half brace to secure the win.

Arsenal had to dig in to secure their 3-0 win, with Gyokeres ending Sunderland's hopes of a comeback after Martin Zubimendi had scored a stunning goal to break the deadlock before half-time.

Six of Gyokeres' eight Premier League goals have come against promoted sides, while it is the first time he has scored in back-to-back league games as an Arsenal player.

Also, since the turn of the year, Gyokeres (six) has netted more goals across all competitions than any other Premier League player.

He scored his first just six minutes after coming off the bench before rounding off the victory in second-half stoppage time, rewarding Arteta's confidence in the super sub role.

"Very happy. He deserves it," Arteta told BBC Match of the Day about Gyokeres.

"He is a super committed player, and he wants to get better. He saw the line-up, and I told him he'd come in and make an impact."

Most importantly for Arsenal, they opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League, ahead of Manchester City's clash with Liverpool on Sunday.

Arsenal will end the day at least nine points clear at the summit in the competition for the first time since the final day of their 2003-04 title-winning campaign (11).

But Arteta acknowledged they were made to work hard for the three points.

"A really tough game against a really tough opponent," he added. "We scored a really beautiful goal with Zubi.

"They can really break your rhythm, and they're really good in what they do. The subs became critical. It was wonderful to watch.

"Technically, tactically, mentally [Arsenal were great]. We played a semi-final here a few games ago. It was a very good atmosphere in the stadium, and that's what we need. The home form has been really good."

Sunderland, meanwhile, remain winless in their last eight Premier League away games (D3 L5), conceding exactly three goals in each of their last three on the road.

The Black Cats struggled to test Arsenal, despite good spells of possession, as they accumulated just 0.2 expected goals (xG) from their five attempts, which included an early Brian Brobbey shot being blocked in front of the line.

"The score is the score. They were relentless with the ability to seize the opportunities we gave them," Regis Le Bris told Sky Sports.

"We showed great personality, and we were in the game until the third goal. We had opportunities, and we didn't score.

"We feel the experience and the quality. We have to accept. We are still a newly promoted side, and we are doing well. We were competitive in that game, but the level is the level.

"You have to accept it and build on the strong side of our game."