After the League Cup heroics of Tuesday night, Arsenal return to Premier League action this afternoon knowing that a win will extend their lead at the top of the league to 9 points. In their way are an impressive Sunderland side who are one of a handful of teams that took points of the Gunners this season, with a painful late equaliser at the Stadium of Light in November. Arsenal will have to be at their best to get past the Black Cats, but this is the sort of game and opportunity that Champions take, so we can’t afford a slip up here if we want to be top of that pile come the end of May.
Areas of encouragement
You could see what the win on Tuesday meant to all of the players and staff so there will a real high going into this one, which they will hopefully carry into the Sunderland game, giving everyone a little bit extra in the tank.
Areas of concern
Against Leeds, Arsenal were much improved offensively however, they (understandably) reverted back to defensive mindset against Chelsea. We need that Leeds performance this afternoon. I don’t want to see a continuation of that negative play that has cost us all of those points in January.
What I’d love to see
Free flowing, exciting football. Runs into the channels, quite one-twos, through balls, shots from outside the box. Let’s mix it up a bit and keep Sunderland guessing.
What I’d hate to see
Playing Sunderland’s game and letting them slow everything down. We need to play at tempo this afternoon, keep the crowd up, keep the intensity up and not let them settle for a minute.
Lineup and Team News
We went really strong against Chelsea in the League Cup so I don’t think there will be massive changes, although David Raya will certainly come back in to start in goal. Jurrien Timber has played a lot of football lately so I could see him given a rest with Ben White starting at right back. Riccardo Calafiori has appeared from the bench a few times this season, but I think this game is when he finally plays from the start. At centre back, we won’t disrupt William Saliba and Gabriel for such a huge game, so they’ll have to play again.
Into midfield, Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice are also in the Saliba/Gabriel camp and have to start, with everything that is at stake in the League. Martin Odegaard is carrying a knock and from what Mikel Arteta has said in his press conference, I don’t think he’ll quite make this one, so Eberechi Eze should continue in the number 10 position.
These leaves the forward line, where the options are much deeper so it’s harder to call. With Sunderland likely to sit deep, Arteta will go with Leandro Trossard on the left and with Bukayo Saka currently sidelined, Noni Madueke should start on the right, although Gabriel Martinelli has looked pretty good there, so is an option. Up top, Kai Havertz has done enough to prove he’s our best number 9, so I think he’ll be given the nod to start in his favoured position in attack.
Predicted lineup:
Raya
White
Saliba
Gabriel
Calafiori
Zubimendi
Rice
Eze
Madueke
Havertz
Trossard
Substitutes:
Arrizabalaga
Timber
Mosquera
Hincapie
Lewis-Skelly
Norgaard
Gyokeres
Martinelli
Jesus
PREDICTION
Going to be yet another tough game, these lot battle for everything and don’t know when they are beat, but we should still be winning this one. I’m going for 2-0 to The Arsenal.