By the time the final whistle blew the ground was more than half empty. For many, the pain of watching Sunderland stumble yet again must have been simply too much but those early leavers missed out on some exquisite football from Arsenal and Alexis Sánchez in particular.

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If Arsène Wenger’s side continue playing as beguilingly as this there can be few complaints should they be crowned champions next spring. By then Sunderland – who have registered a record-equalling worst start to a Premier League campaign after collecting only two points from 10 games – will probably be relegated but, although wretched, this proved far from their worst display.

David Moyes’s players worked hard enough, at one point pulling the score back to 1-1. It was just that they were embarrassingly outclassed, not to mention ripped apart by three visiting goals in eight devastating second-half minutes. The manager, though, looked for positives. “It wasn’t a difficult afternoon until the last 15 or 20 minutes. I didn’t think we collapsed – we did enough not to be beaten by that amount of goals. We’d grown into the game.”

The problem was that every time Sunderland upped the tempo, Arsenal elevated it higher as their hosts struggled to fathom the subtle sophistication of Sánchez’s often deep‑lying attacking performance during a chastening afternoon in which both he and the inspired substitute Olivier Giroud scored twice.

Sunderland had started quite well with Wahbi Khazri – a disappointment so far this season but integral to the avoidance of relegation last spring – offering brief cause for optimism. There was the cute dummy the Tunisia winger sold Mohamed Elneny, a couple of clever balls creating half-chances to the overlapping Billy Jones and Jermain Defoe, and a free-kick curved fractionally wide of a post.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez celebrates opening the scoring against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

By then, though, Jack Rodwell had startled Arsenal by clattering into Francis Coquelin and Wenger’s players were beginning to raise their game. Such formidable resolve swiftly began rendering Sunderland’s positive beginning a cruel chimera. By half-time they had failed to direct a shot on target or win a corner.

Meanwhile Wenger’s team were hitting their stride, highlighted as Sánchez’s beautifully angled pass dropped for Mesut Özil. When the playmaker’s first touch proved true, local hearts were in mouths but Özil’s second – a shot placed conveniently close to Jordan Pickford – suggested he was mortal after all.

It should have served as a warning to Lamine Koné and his fellow defenders but Koné was found wanting when, at the end of a bewitching Arsenal attack adorned by 22 passes, Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain sashayed past the bewildered Duncan Watmore and crossed for Sánchez to head in from eight yards. Momentarily frozen, Koné paid the price for standing off.

Although Defoe had a volley rightly disallowed for offside against Khazri, the London club had assumed control. They could have gone further ahead had Alex Iwobi not bent his shot marginally wide after a one-two with Kieran Gibbs, while bookings for Khazri, Didier Ndong and Steven Pienaar offered evidence of Sunderland’s struggle to contain the visitors.

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Moyes’s mission was further complicated by Sánchez’s habit of dropping deep, Wenger’s supposed lone striker often taking up Özil’s No10 role. Small wonder Koné’s marking sometimes seemed confused. His department became even more disconnected when John O’Shea hobbled off to be replaced by the less reliable Papy Djilobodji, who was soon booked for a foul on Sánchez.

Sunderland rallied , finally forcing their guests to do some defending. Nonetheless Arsenal were furious not to be awarded a penalty when Koné felled Sánchez in the area. A few minutes later, Sunderland earned a spot-kick of their own after Petr Cech sent the accelerating Watmore sprawling. After the goalkeeper – careful to avoid potential dismissal by keeping his hands close to his body – was booked, Defoe scored from the spot but a most inspired substitution on Wenger’s part ensured it would be a strictly temporary respite.

On for Iwobi, Giroud scored with his first touch, volleying Gibbs’s cross past Pickford after another buildup featuring Sánchez. He then swiftly scored again, outmanoeuvring Djilobodji before heading in an Özil corner. Sánchez claimed the fourth from close range. All that remained was for Sunderland to be booed off – and Koné to swap shirts with Özil.

Although Sunderland’s next two games at Bournemouth and at home to Hull City could yet prove pivotal, there remains no appetite on the part of Ellis Short, the owner, and Martin Bain, the chief executive, for sacking their seventh manager in five years.

“I’m experienced,” Moyes said. “I’ll keep doing what I do.”

A rather happier Wenger was delighted to not only see Sánchez excel in his unique but highly effective deep‑lying interpretation of the lone‑striker role but also to watch Giroud impose himself after stepping off the bench.

“Sánchez is doing extremely well and Giroud is mentally strong,” Arsenal’s manager said. “Every time Olivier is questioned he gives you the right answer on the pitch. I admire him for that.”

Delighted with his side’s “resolve”, he praised his players’ reaction to Jermain Defoe’s equalising penalty. “We had a great response,” he said. “This team wants to play well together.”