Following the 2-2 stalemate at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, Riccardo Calafiori revealed that a simple instruction from Mikel Arteta at the break helped turn the game in Arsenal’s favour. The hosts had taken the lead through Dan Ballard in the first half, which was largely forgettable from a Gunners point of view due to how disjointed they looked. It was a scrappy opening 45 minutes, full of fouls and stoppages as both sides battled to impose their rhythm.Arteta’s message that sparked a responseArsenal came out far more cohesive after the interval, stamping their authority on proceedings and pinning Sunderland deep in their half. Their two goals arrived during a sustained spell of pressure, with Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard both finding the net through well-worked finishes.Speaking after the game, Riccardo Calafiori revealed the straightforward instruction Arteta gave at half-time.“He just said that we needed to basically win our duels and then from there we could start to play our game, so that’s what we did,” Calafiori told Arsenal media. “I think you would have seen on the pitch in the second half, I think we deserved it, we played better than them and just in one action you concede, and you draw the game, but this is the level.”The manner in which Arsenal conceded the late equaliser will make the result hard to accept. This side prides itself on defensive resilience, but they failed to hold firm in the dying moments of the contest.(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Calafiori remains upbeat as focus turns forwardDespite the frustration, Calafiori chose to remain positive about the bigger picture.“We are top of the league so we must be happy at least, we need to think about that,” he continued. “We need to think about the next game which will be tough, and actually many games that will be tough in the next few months, so we are fully focused and I’m proud of my team so far.”The international break arrives at an ideal time for Arsenal. With key players expected to return afterward, the Gunners should be in a stronger position heading into the festive schedule. Gabriel Jesus is already back in training following a long-term injury, while there is growing optimism about Kai Havertz and several others returning soon.Benjamin Kenneth__________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsCalafiori explains what inspired Arsenal’s second-half comeback9 November 2025, 10:20Mixed emotions for Arteta as Arsenal stumble before international break9 November 2025, 9:00Gary O’Neil says Arsenal’s draw at Sunderland is not a bad result8 November 2025, 23:00The post Calafiori explains what inspired Arsenal’s second-half comeback appeared first on Just Arsenal News.