Arsenal claimed a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, making it four wins from four in the Premier League this season.
Bruno Guimaraes was always going to receive a hostile welcome in the north east, given his history as a former Newcastle United captain.
The Brazil international was greeted with a chorus of boos from Sunderland supporters as he made his way from the Arsenal team bus to the stadium entrance.
Guimaraes started the match among the substitutes but was introduced at the start of the second half, where the jeering from the home crowd only intensified.
The 28-year-old midfielder answered his critics in the most emphatic way possible, firing a superb long-range strike into the top corner in the 58th minute.
The ball crashed in off the underside of the crossbar, and Guimaraes ran straight to the corner flag, cupping his hands to his ears in front of the Sunderland faithful.
The goal came just over two minutes after Enzo Le Fee had seen a penalty touched onto the post by David Raya, making it a dramatic 121-second spell in the second half.
Arsenal fans in the upper tier of the North Stand celebrated raucously, while the home supporters reacted with fury to Guimaraes’ pointed celebration.
The intense reaction from Sunderland fans stems directly from the fierce local rivalry between the Black Cats and Newcastle United, Guimaraes’ former club.
Guimaraes joined Arsenal at the start of August for a fee of £75 million, having previously made his Premier League debut for the Gunners from the bench during a 1-0 win at Aston Villa.
Arsenal wrapped up the three points in the seventh minute of stoppage time, when Bukayo Saka converted a penalty after being brought down by Reinildo Mandava, who was sent off for a second yellow card.
Mandava’s foul brought Sunderland down to ten men, ending any realistic hope the home side had of fighting back into the contest.
The match was not without controversy, as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was furious when a penalty was awarded against his side after Ezri Konsa was adjudged to have pulled down Dan Ballard from a set-piece.
Referees are clamping down on such incidents in the box, but Arteta insisted the decision was wrong, adding another layer of drama to a feisty encounter at the Stadium of Light.
