Granit Xhaka showed exactly why Sunderland signed him in memorable moment against Brentford
Sunderland scored a dramatic last-minute winner to beat Brentford 2-1 on Saturday.
The Black Cats had fallen behind to a headed goal from Igor Thiago late in the second half, but a penalty from Enzo Le Fee levelled the scores to set up a tense finale.
Then, in the 96th minute, Granit Xhaka sent in a tempting cross that was headed home by Wilson Isidor to send the Stadium of Light into raptures.
The result means that Sunderland have earned six points from their first three games in the Premier League.
Moment of class shows exactly why Sunderland signed Granit Xhaka
On the balance of play, it could be argued that Sunderland deserved to beat Brentford.
They enjoyed more possession, more shots on goal and a higher XG rating in this match.
Even so, the match looked like ending as a frustrating stalemate until the last-minute drama unfolded.
Xhaka played a key role in this last-minute attack, and in doing so, he showed exactly why Sunderland spent £13million to buy Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen.
It wasn’t just the picture-perfect first-time cross that he sent into the box in the 96th minute.
Moments before that, Xhaka sent a clever chip into the channel for Le Fee to chase. The Swiss then had the nous and the energy to follow his pass, receive the ball back from Le Fee and fizz the ball into the box for the winning goal.
Xhaka’s touch of class will win more games for Sunderland
Most Championship-standard midfielders would only think to lump the ball forward during these dying moments. The touch of class that Xhaka provided instead was enough to win a tight game for Sunderland.
He isn’t just a tough-tackling midfield enforcer. These clever passes are a key part of his arsenal. He immediately sees passes that other Sunderland players would need a few moments to think about.
| Sunderland | Brentford | |
| Goals | 2 | 1 |
| Shots on goal | 12 | 7 |
| Possession | 54 | 46 |
This magical last-minute moment will remain in the memories of Sunderland fans for some time, but Xhaka will likely provide more before the season ends.
In an ideal world, the Sunderland recruitment team would add another player or two with this extra touch of class. Perhaps a winger who can put in dozens of tempting crosses like this per game or a striker who can finish them more consistently.
It’s a big ask with two days remaining of the transfer window, but as Xhaka illustrated so brilliantly, it could make all the difference to Sunderland’s season.
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