diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ArrayOperators.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ArrayOperators.java
index 9d27a7e86..02b805d5e 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ArrayOperators.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ArrayOperators.java
@@ -350,19 +350,19 @@ public class ArrayOperators {
 		}
 
 		/**
-		 * Creates new {@link AggregationExpression} that takes the associated array and sorts it by the given {@link Sort
-		 * order}.
+		 * Creates new {@link AggregationExpression} that takes the associated array and sorts it by the given
+		 * {@link Direction order}.
 		 *
 		 * @return new instance of {@link SortArray}.
-		 * @since 4.0
+		 * @since 4.5
 		 */
 		public SortArray sort(Direction direction) {
 
 			if (usesFieldRef()) {
-				return SortArray.sortArrayOf(fieldReference).by(direction);
+				return SortArray.sortArrayOf(fieldReference).direction(direction);
 			}
 
-			return (usesExpression() ? SortArray.sortArrayOf(expression) : SortArray.sortArray(values)).by(direction);
+			return (usesExpression() ? SortArray.sortArrayOf(expression) : SortArray.sortArray(values)).direction(direction);
 		}
 
 		/**
@@ -1998,10 +1998,6 @@ public class ArrayOperators {
 			return new First(expression);
 		}
 
-		/*
-		 * (non-Javadoc)
-		 * @see org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AbstractAggregationExpression#getMongoMethod()
-		 */
 		@Override
 		protected String getMongoMethod() {
 			return "$first";
@@ -2052,10 +2048,6 @@ public class ArrayOperators {
 			return new Last(expression);
 		}
 
-		/*
-		 * (non-Javadoc)
-		 * @see org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AbstractAggregationExpression#getMongoMethod()
-		 */
 		@Override
 		protected String getMongoMethod() {
 			return "$last";
@@ -2116,41 +2108,38 @@ public class ArrayOperators {
 		}
 
 		/**
-		 * Sort the array elements by their values in ascending order. Suitable for arrays of simple types (e.g., integers,
-		 * strings).
+		 * Order the values for the array in the given direction.
 		 *
+		 * @param direction must not be {@literal null}.
 		 * @return new instance of {@link SortArray}.
-		 * @since 4.x (TBD)
+		 * @since 4.5
 		 */
-		public SortArray byValueAscending() {
-			return new SortArray(append("sortBy", 1));
+		public SortArray direction(Direction direction) {
+			return new SortArray(append("sortBy", direction.isAscending() ? 1 : -1));
 		}
 
 		/**
-		 * Sort the array elements by their values in descending order. Suitable for arrays of simple types (e.g., integers,
+		 * Sort the array elements by their values in ascending order. Suitable for arrays of simple types (e.g., integers,
 		 * strings).
 		 *
 		 * @return new instance of {@link SortArray}.
-		 * @since 4.x (TBD)
+		 * @since 4.5
 		 */
-		public SortArray byValueDescending() {
-			return new SortArray(append("sortBy", -1));
+		public SortArray byValueAscending() {
+			return direction(Direction.ASC);
 		}
 
 		/**
-		 * Set the order to put elements in.
+		 * Sort the array elements by their values in descending order. Suitable for arrays of simple types (e.g., integers,
+		 * strings).
 		 *
-		 * @param direction must not be {@literal null}.
 		 * @return new instance of {@link SortArray}.
+		 * @since 4.5
 		 */
-		public SortArray by(Direction direction) {
-			return new SortArray(append("sortBy", direction.isAscending() ? 1 : -1));
+		public SortArray byValueDescending() {
+			return direction(Direction.DESC);
 		}
 
-		/*
-		* (non-Javadoc)
-		* @see org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.AbstractAggregationExpression#getMongoMethod()
-		*/
 		@Override
 		protected String getMongoMethod() {
 			return "$sortArray";
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ArrayOperatorsUnitTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ArrayOperatorsUnitTests.java
index 93ade364a..0ab5545f2 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ArrayOperatorsUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/aggregation/ArrayOperatorsUnitTests.java
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation;
 
-import static org.springframework.data.mongodb.test.util.Assertions.*;
+import static org.springframework.data.mongodb.test.util.Assertions.assertThat;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Sort.Direction;
 import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.ArrayOperators.ArrayToObject;
-import org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.aggregation.ArrayOperators.SortArray;
 
 /**
  * Unit tests for {@link ArrayOperators}
@@ -184,25 +183,16 @@ public class ArrayOperatorsUnitTests {
 
 	@Test // GH-4929
 	public void sortArrayByValueAscending() {
-		Document result = SortArray.sortArrayOf("numbers").byValueAscending().toDocument(Aggregation.DEFAULT_CONTEXT);
-		Document expected = new Document("$sortArray", new Document("input", "$numbers").append("sortBy", 1));
-		assertThat(result).isEqualTo(expected);
+
+		Document result = ArrayOperators.arrayOf("numbers").sort(Direction.ASC).toDocument(Aggregation.DEFAULT_CONTEXT);
+		assertThat(result).isEqualTo("{ $sortArray: { input: '$numbers', sortBy: 1 } }");
 	}
 
 	@Test // GH-4929
 	public void sortArrayByValueDescending() {
-		Document result = SortArray.sortArrayOf("numbers").byValueDescending().toDocument(Aggregation.DEFAULT_CONTEXT);
-		Document expected = new Document("$sortArray", new Document("input", "$numbers").append("sortBy", -1));
-		assertThat(result).isEqualTo(expected);
-	}
 
-	@Test // GH-4929
-	public void sortArrayByPropertyUnchanged() {
-		Document result = SortArray.sortArrayOf("items").by(Sort.by(Sort.Direction.ASC, "price"))
-				.toDocument(Aggregation.DEFAULT_CONTEXT);
-		Document expected = new Document("$sortArray",
-				new Document("input", "$items").append("sortBy", new Document("price", 1)));
-		assertThat(result).isEqualTo(expected);
+		Document result = ArrayOperators.arrayOf("numbers").sort(Direction.DESC).toDocument(Aggregation.DEFAULT_CONTEXT);
+		assertThat(result).isEqualTo("{ $sortArray: { input: '$numbers', sortBy: -1 } }");
 	}
 
 	@Test // GH-4929