Barclays Premier League: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland - as it happened

Full time: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland

Sunderland stay in the Premier League for another season after grabbing the point required to remain in the top flight for a ninth straight season. Arsenal go a third straight home game without a goal and they can now no longer finish higher than third. Only a seven-goal swing on the final day will see them finish below fourth place Manchester United.

Well that is all we have time for tonight. We're back with live coverage of the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday but until then goodbye.

Three added minutes at the Emirates.

Theo Walcott has had three guilt-edged chances and on each occasion Pantilimon has been equal to them. He gets away in the fight hand channel of the area again and is denied by a strong right hand from the Sunderland stopper. Ramsey can't convert from the follow up.

Pantilimon makes a brilliant low save to deny Walcott before the ball is hacked clear as Giroud closed in. Will Arsenal get another chance? Ramsey with the latest effort on goal which is saved well by the Romanian.

Rosicky straight into the action when he finds Walcott and though the return pass is underhit, the Czech Republic takes aim but cuts across the ball and it goes behind harmlessly.

Mesut Ozil off and Tomas Rosicky on as we enter the final 10 minutes. Arsenal in need of some inspiration. Sunderland starting to look comfortable.

Will Buckley is on for Adam Johnson as Sunderland add another pair of fresh legs for the final minutes. Arsenal have wavered between threatening and listless at times tonight. Can they produce one last push, or can Sunderland hold out to confirm survival?

A hopeful cross from Bellerin is missed by everyone except Billy Jones who diverts a header against his own post but fortunately back to the feet of a Sunderland defender who clears. Arsenal inches away from taking the lead. A quarter of an hour remaining.

I questioned whether Theo Walcott could get in behind the Sunderland back four and he just has to deadly effect but without applying the finishing touch. Koscileny players him through and when he gets to the ball first ahead of Pantilimon he can't get enough on the finish and Coates clears.

If Sunderland are relegated come 5pm on Sunday they could do worse than hark back to the chances missed from the boot of Steven Fletcher. Van Aaanholt's dragged shot finds the forward who slides in but diverts his effort high and wide. Great chance to take the lead with 20 minutes on the clock.

Change for Arsenal as Theo Walcott comes on to play make his 300th Gunners appearance as he replaced Jack Wilshere. Getting in behind an increasingly deep lying Sunderland defence might be tough.

It's all Arsenal now and they're getting closer to breaking the deadlock. Gibbs is the latest player to take aim, but his right-footed shot is flicked over by Coates, who has been immense for the away side tonight. Into the last third of the game and you could make a case for either side here.

Sanchez is denied by a great block by Coates but at the other end Sunderland should be ahead. Defoe plays in Fletcher on the break but the Scot's dinked shot is palmed behind by Ospina. What a chance.

Kieran Gibbs with a back post header(!) which is well saved y Pantilimon, who jumps across his goal to keep out the effort. Better from the home side who had looked beaten in their attempts to end their goal drought.

It has been no better from Arsenal since the break but they create their best chance of the game after 56 minutes. Bellerin cross and Giroud gets ahead of Coates and flicks goalwards and Pantilimon makes the save. Sunderland looks solid at the back and threatening on the break though.

Now then, now then. Steven Fletches gets some space in an attacking position and attempts to play through Defoe, but Koscielny blocks the pass, perhaps with his arm. Now Fletcher tests Ospina with the best chance so far, before Van Aanholt is denied by the Gunners 'keeper after being played in by Defoe. Suddenly the game comes alive.

Two changes for Sunderland at the break. Jack Rodwell and Steven Fletcher on and Connor Wickham and Danny Graham off. Some fresh legs and a extra man in midfield for Sunderland as the second half gets under way.

Half time: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland

Sunderland are 45 minutes away from securing their Premier League survival for another season after frustrating Arsenal in the first half at the Emirates. The Gunners have done all the running but are yet to carve out a genuine chance as Costel Pantilimon has been almost unworked. The visitors have offered very little in an attacking sense but they won't mind that if they can keep the North Londoners at bay.

Only two added on minutes at the Emirates. Thank goodness for that.

Counter-attack from Sunderland as first led by Jermain Defoe but when the ball comes out to Johnson, he slashes over from 25 yards. Not a great effort.

Neat build-up play from Arsenal ends with Ozil lashing the ball over from 20 yards. Bit of frustration start to slip into their play as we approach half-time. It feels like a repeat of the defeat to Swansea a week ago.

Now Olivier Giroud volleys wide after being played in by Wilshere, who has impressed in these opening 32 minutes. Arsenal all over the visitors.

Another half chance for Arsenal as Wilshere scoops a pass into the path of Ozil, who left-footed slams the ball over the bar. Sunderland keeping their discipline but their spells of possession are becoming increasingly limited.

Effort on target for Arsenal as after Sanchez's volleyed cross is hooked clear by Coates, Cazorla takes aim but Pantilimon makes a low save. Problems for Sunderland with Lee Catermole getting treatment and we wait to hear if he will continue.

Yellow card for Aaron Ramsey for a foul on Seb Larsson. Rash, sliding challenge from the Welshman and a deserved booking. Sunderland coming into the game a little but it's off the ball they are the most effective. Half chance for the Gunners as Ozil finds Ramsey but his pass back to Wilshere sees the England man blast the ball over the top.

Brief opening for Arsenal as we approach the quarter of an hour mark. Jack Wilshere is found in yards of room on the right of the penalty area and he goes down over the onrushing Pantilimon, who claims the ball. Bit of a waste that.

Four minutes in and the most noticeable thing at this stage is the amount of empty seats around the Emirates as we kick-off. Nowhere near full tonight which is a real shame. Arsenal have started with all of the possession as you might expect, and Coates does well not to turn into his own net when he cuts out Bellerin's cross.

Teams are out at The Emirates Stadium. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 10 games against Sunderland at home, winning seven of them. Sustain that the the Gunners will finish in the top three. The visitors need an improvement on that record. We're under way in North London.

Sunderland have the chance to confirm their top flight status for next season and though they travel to Arsenal tonight, they might regret not taking their opportunity. Advocaat's side travel to champions Chelsea, who will be in party mood on the final day as they are awarded the title. You would think that anything else than a point will breathe new life into Hull City and Newcastle United too, going into the last game of the season. Can the Black Cats complete the job tonight?

Things are far more simple for Dick Advocaat's Sunderland...

A win or a draw for Sunderland would keep confirm their Premier League status for another season. Victory would see them leap above Leicester City and Aston Villa and guarantee they will finish above north east rivals Newcastle United but a point will only see them go above Villa into 15th.

A seventh away defeat of the season for the Black Cats would leave them in a three-way fight for top flight survival on the final day of the season on Sunday. It would leave them three points ahead of 18th place Hull City but with an inferior goal difference. Sunderland will remain a point above Newcastle going into the last day with, barring a five-goal defeat, a better goal difference.

So what exactly could be decided tonight? Let IBT guide you through the permutations regarding Arsenal.

A win for Arsenal guarantees they will finish in the top three and avoid a Champions League play-off in August to qualify for the group stage. Victory will also put them within two points of Manchester City and in with a chance of claiming second place.

A draw will put them three points ahead of fourth place Manchester United and needing to avoid an eight-goal swing on the final day to remain in third. Even a seven-goal swing which put both teams on the same goal difference may not be enough for Louis van Gaal's side.

Defeat would end the Gunners' hopes of finishing second and leave them with the same scenario as they face tonight, when they take on Stoke on the last day of the season, needing a win to assure themselves of a top three place.

Two changes for Arsenal as Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs come in for Nacho Monreal and Francis Coquelin. Theo Walcott, who make his 300th Arsenal appearance tonight, is on the bench.

Sunderland make just one change with Adam Johnson, who appeared in court earlier in the week to face sex charges, starts in a game the Black Cats must avoid defeat in to confirm their Premier League status.

Team news:

Arsenal v Sunderland:

Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Ramsey, Cazorla, Wilshere, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud

Sunderland: Pantilimon, Jones, van Aanholt, O'Shea, Coates, Cattermole, Larsson, Johnson, Graham, Defoe, Wickham.

Into the final week of the regular Premier League season we might be and despite a campaign which has been more predictable than an ending to a romantic comedy staring Hugh Grant, we have a game which actually means something on what is essentially the penultimate day of the season. We head to the Emirates where automatic Champions League qualification chasing Arsenal face relegation candidates Sunderland. Wins for either side will see them avoid final day nail-biting, with a draw probably ok for both sides too. A perfect cocktail for a Wednesday night cracker if you ask me.