The headline might appear dramatic, but that’s exactly how it feels to me. At the start of the season, you would have looked at this game as ‘promoted team away, tricky due to the home fans yet the team should look to be taking three points’. There’s considerable narrative involved now though. Firstly, Sunderland have looked really good this season and are currently flying high in fourth place. This is going to be a seriously tough game. The challenge we face is then compounded further as Arsenal are seriously lacking numbers in attack with Viktor Gyokeres recently joining Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard on the treatment table. Our apparent two main title rivals also play each other the day after, so there is a chance to extend our lead over these two teams with a win at the Stadium of Light. The stakes couldn’t be higher. I’ve been looked at this game for a long time, as the one we just need to get past without any damage to our current run. We have so many players due back after the international break, we just need to get over the line and get one more win under our belt. It’s absolutely massive this one.
Areas of encouragement
I don’t like it when everyone starts hyping us up however, there’s no two ways about it, Arsenal are on a fantastic run of form. The game against Slavia Prague was our 10th straight win in all competitions and we’ve also yet to concede in the past 8. The defence has looked solid and we’ve found a way to grind out the games without a number of key attacking players.
Areas of concern
Sunderland’s form since the start of the year is really concerning, as they’ve looked really good. We also need to be mindful of the Sunderland crowd, as the place will be packed and the fans will be right behind their team from the off, so we’ll need to quieten them down early on in the match.
What I’d love to see
I would absolutely adore an early goal for Arsenal. I’m really nervous about this one and for my personal blood pressure, I’d love to see us get an early goal, quieten the crowd down a bit and put us in a position of control in the match.
What I’d hate to see
As mentioned above, the home fans will be really up for this so we really don’t want to be giving them any encouragement early in the game. Control is the name of the game for Arsenal so we can’t let them get up a head of steam.
Lineup and Team News
Early in the season this was really difficult, as we had more options than we have ever had before. Oh, how things change! ☹ The lineup now mostly picks itself as the defence has been so solid in the Premier League, I don’t see us changing that up at all. The midfield has also looked quite good in the last few matches and we’re also lacking options in here with no Odegaard and Merino needed elsewhere, so rotation from the last Premier League lineup seems unlikely. Martin Zubimendi will return to the base of midfield following his midweek European suspension, with Eberechi Eze also returning to the starting lineup following his substitution appearance in Prague with Declan Rice occupying the left side of midfield. Following his two goal expo in midweek, midfielder Mikel Merino will almost certainly lead the line alongside our only first choice wingers in Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka.
Predicted lineup:
Raya
Timber
Saliba
Gabriel
Calafiori
Zubimendi
Rice
Eze
Saka
Merino
Trossard
Substitutes:
Arrizabalaga
White
Hincapie
Lewis-Skelly
Mosquera
Norgaard
Nwaneri
Dowman
Harriman-Annous
PREDICTION
Huge, huge, huge game for Arsenal, in which I would taken a win no matter how it came. I think we’ll do just enough to take all three in this one so I’ll say 1-0 to The Arsenal. COME ON YOU GUNNERS!