Preview: Arsenal vs Sunderland – prediction, team news, line-ups
Arsenal return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon as they welcome newly promoted Sunderland to the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners will head into the game chomping at the bit after punching their ticket to the EFL Cup final, while Sunderland will hope to bolster their chances of securing a European finish.
Match Preview
Arsenal ended a concerning three-match winless streak in the Premier League (D2, L1) with a thumping 4-0 victory against newly promoted Leeds United at Elland Road.
That form had already raised eyebrows, particularly after back-to-back goalless draws against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Many felt like the Gunners were slipping back to their old ways of bottling their title challenge during the run-in. But they managed to squash those murmurs with an emphatic victory in Yorkshire.
Arsenal were without Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka, but Mikel Arteta’s troops made sure their absence wasn’t felt by putting in a ruthless performance at Leeds.
That victory tasted even better at the end of gameweek 24 as Aston Villa fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Brentford, while Tottenham Hotspur held Manchester City to a 2-2 draw in North London.
The result helped Arsenal open up a six-point lead at the Premier League summit, giving them something to protect as they host Sunderland in the capital this weekend.
Now looking for a fourth consecutive win across all competitions, the Gunners will be keen to maintain their 43-match unbeaten streak against newly promoted sides – a record they share with Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Sunderland will be looking to stun the Premier League leaders again after holding them to a pulsating 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats had a festive period to forget after going five games without a win between late December and early January (D4, L1).
However, since snapping that run of form with a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace, Sunderland have now won two of their last three Premier League games (L1).
Their most recent success came in a thumping 3-0 win against relegation-threatened Burnley on home turf, courtesy of an Axel Tuanzebe own goal as well as goals from Habib Diarra and Chemsidine Talbi.
Sunderland are heading into this gargantuan contest in eighth place in the table, just three points behind reigning champions Liverpool and five adrift of the top four.
Despite the positive mood in the dressing room, the Black Cats will know that they’re massive underdogs for this weekend’s contest, particularly with their atrocious away form.
Regis Le Bris’ side have struggled on the road in recent months, failing to win any of their last seven Premier League games away from home since claiming a stunning 2-1 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in October 2025 (D3, L4).
Team News
Arsenal’s injury woes took a turn for the worse over the past week, with Mikel Merino the latest to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
The Spanish midfielder is expected to be out for the rest of the season with a foot injury, joining Bukayo Saka, who is struggling with a hip issue he picked up during the warm-up at Elland Road.
The Gunners are also sweating over the fitness of captain Martin Odegaard, who is hoping to shake off a “niggle”, while Max Dowman still has some way to go.
Meanwhile, there will be no fairytale return to the Emirates for ex-Gunner Granit Xhaka, with the Sunderland skipper out for the rest of the month with an ankle injury.
Bertrand Traore and January signing Jocelin Ta Bi are the only other absentees for the Black Cats.
Arsenal potential starting line-up:
(4-3-3): David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori; Kai Havertz, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard.
Sunderland potential starting line-up:
(5-4-1): Robin Roefs; Trai Hume, Nordi Mukiele, Daniel Ballard, Omar Alderete, Reinildo Mandava; Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi; Brian Brobbey.
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