Freddie Ljungberg notched the last hat-trick to be scored by an opposition player at the Stadium of Light as Arsenal secured their most comprehensive ever win on Wearside.

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But it was Thierry Henry's virtuosity as which lingered in the memory.

The Frenchman set the scoring under way when he found the back of the net in the sixth minute – his 24th goal of the season and three more than Sunderland scored in the entire campaign.

Henry and Bergkamp set up Ljungberg for Arsenal's second in the 38th minute with a move which even the Sunderland fans applauded.

Quarter-of-an-hour from time and Craddock lost possession inside his own half and Henry skated forward, drawing the Sunderland defence before passing sideways to Ljungberg who chipped Thomas Sorensen from close range.

And the Swede wrapped up his hat-trick with just four minutes remaining when he waltzed through the Sunderland defence before stroking the ball past Sorensen.

For Sunderland fans it was a reminder of the quality of football they were to be deprived of.

For Sorensen, Gray, Craddock, McCann and Phillips, it was their last game in red and white as one of the brighter eras in Sunderland's history came to the most depressing of ends.

Sunderland: Sorensen, Gray, Craddock, Bjorklund, Williams (McCartney 46), Black (Oster 46), Thornton (Ryan 46), McCann, Kilbane, Kyle, Phillips. Subs not used: Poom, Proctor.