Sunderland fell to a 5-1 defeat at Arsenal yesterday night, but whilst the scoreline suggests that the Black Cats were beaten rather convincingly, the League One outfit certainly caused their Premier League opponents a bunch of problems. 

An Eddie Nketiah hat-trick, and goals from Nicolas Pepe and Charlie Patino ensured that the Gunners earned a place in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup. 

Nathan Broadhead did score for the League One club, halving the deficit when the score was 2-0, however, Arsenal displayed a clinical side to their game as the match progressed. 

 

 

One player who shone for the Black Cats during the 90 minutes was attacking midfielder Alex Pritchard. 

The 28-year-old was a constant thorn in Arsenal's side with his ability on the ball, vision and attacking intelligence all combined to threaten the Gunners' defence. 

Pritchard's influence has grown during this season, and it will be no surprise if he is the star man as Sunderland continue to push for a promotion place. 

His performance last night makes it seem absurd that he is currently a League One player, with the Black Cats hoping for a continuation of this form. 

Here, we take a look at how Sunderland fans on Twitter have reacted to his performance last night...