Sunderland is set to host the defending champions Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on Saturday in the matchday four Premier League encounter.
Sunderland vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 12th September.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Stadium of Light, Sunderland.
Sunderland team news
Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris is navigating a few notable absences in midfield and attack ahead of Saturday’s high-profile clash.
The Black Cats will be without influential midfielder Habib Diarra, who remains sidelined for at least another month due to a hamstring and thigh strain, leaving Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki to anchor the central midfield.
Additionally, winger Romaine Mundle is ruled out long-term following significant knee surgery. Despite these setbacks, and following their midweek Carabao Cup victory over Hull, no fresh injury concerns were reported.
Up front, Brian Brobbey is widely tipped to return to the starting eleven to lead the line, while highly-rated summer signing Malick Fofana is fit and strongly pushing to make his full Premier League debut on the flank.
Arsenal team news
Arsenal travels to the Stadium of Light this Saturday with a mix of positive and cautious fitness updates.
Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Ben White is fit and fully available for selection, shaking off any concerns after his late substitution against Napoli in the Champions League.
However, the Gunners remain without star centre-back William Saliba, who is sidelined long-term due to cautious load management for a persistent back injury.
On a brighter note, defenders Jurrien Timber and Cristhian Mosquera are nearing their returns from groin and muscular issues; while they remain minor doubts to start, both could secure spots on the bench.
After squad rotation during midweek European action, Arteta is expected to reintroduce key figures to his starting lineup, including Kai Havertz, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Christos Tzolis to spearhead the Arsenal attack.
Form
Sunderland
Sunderland enters this fixture sitting 12th in the Premier League standings with four points after an inconsistent opening stretch. Régis Le Bris’s side suffered a 2-1 loss to Ipswich but quickly rebounded with a solid 1-1 draw at Brentford and a narrow 1-0 home victory over Fulham. Most recently, they sustained their positive momentum by edging out Hull City 1-0 in the Carabao Cup, securing clean sheets in consecutive home outings.
Arsenal
Arsenal has enjoyed a flawless start to the season, sitting 2nd in the table with a perfect nine points. Mikel Arteta’s squad kicked off their league campaign with a dominant 3-0 win against Coventry, followed by a hard-fought 1-0 away triumph at Aston Villa and a crucial 2-1 victory over London rivals Chelsea. They extended their winning streak in midweek by defeating Napoli 1-0 in Italy during their UEFA Champions League opener.
Predicted lineups
Sunderland: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Danso, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Angulo, Le Fee, Fofana; Brobbey
Arsenal: Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Lewis-Skelly, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz
How to watch Sunderland vs Arsenal?
In the United Kingdom, you can watch the Sunderland vs. Arsenal match live on TNT Sports.
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