Sunderland will welcome title-holders Arsenal to the Stadium of Light this Saturday for their fourth Premier League match of the season.
The Black Cats currently sit 12th in the table, having collected four points from their opening games in a somewhat uneven start. Under Régis Le Bris, the side fell 2-1 to Ipswich early on but bounced back with a respectable 1-1 away result against Brentford and a tight 1-0 win at home versus Fulham. Their most recent outing saw them carry that improved form into the Carabao Cup, where a 1-0 victory over Hull City gave them back-to-back clean sheets in front of their own supporters.
Sunderland team news
Ahead of this high-profile weekend fixture, Le Bris must cope with several key absences in midfield and the forward line.
Habib Diarra, an important figure in the centre of the park, will miss out for at least another month as he continues to recover from a hamstring and thigh strain.
That leaves Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki to take charge of central midfield duties. On the wing, Romaine Mundle remains a long-term absentee after undergoing major knee surgery.
On a positive note, there are no new injury worries for Sunderland. In attack, Brian Brobbey is expected to be recalled to the starting lineup to spearhead the front line, while promising summer arrival Malick Fofana is fully fit and making a strong case to earn his first full Premier League start out wide.
Sunderland predicted lineup
Possible Sunderland starting XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Danso, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Angulo, Le Fee, Fofana; Brobbey
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Saturday, 12th September.
How to watch Sunderland vs Arsenal?
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the Sunderland versus Arsenal clash will be broadcast live on TNT Sports.
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