Sunderland vs Arsenal. Premier League.
Stadium of LightAttendance44,322.
Saturday 29 October 2016 12:36, UK
Theo Walcott, Nacho Monreal and Santi Cazorla must prove their fitness ahead of Arsenal's Premier League visit to Sunderland on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 11.30am.
The Gunners trio will undergo late tests ahead of the match at the Stadium of Light, with Arsene Wenger already without Lucas Perez following his ankle injury.
The Arsenal boss was boosted by the return of Olivier Giroud in midweek and the French striker is in contention to face David Moyes' struggling side.
Sunderland, the only side in the top four divisions of English football without a league win, slipped to their eight defeat of the season in all competitions in the EFL Cup at Southampton on Wednesday.
Jermain Defoe has scored four of their six league goals this campaign, and Wenger insists his side are well aware of the forward's threat.
"Their main danger is Defoe, and they are good on set-pieces with Wahbi Khazri," Wenger said.
"They are dangerous on set-pieces. Overall, they are a team who is in a bad position but it's very tight at the top and very tight at the bottom."
Sunderland boss David Moyes will make late decisions on Adnan Januzaj and Jason Denayer.
Winger Januzaj (ankle ligaments) and defender Denayer (adductor) are both back in training, but the game might come too soon, with the Manchester United loanee the more likely to make it.
Midfielder Lee Cattermole is back running as he attempts to shake off a back problem, but he remains a doubt, while keeper Vito Mannone (fractured elbow), midfielders Jan Kirchhoff (hamstring) and Sebastian Larsson (knee) and striker Fabio Borini (groin) are still out.
Arsenal forward Perez has been ruled out for up to two months with an ankle problem.
The summer signing was forced off in the EFL Cup win over Reading and faces a spell on the sidelines along with long-term absentees Per Mertesacker and Danny Welbeck (both knee).
Granit Xhaka is still banned, while Walcott (hamstring), Monreal (muscular) and Cazorla (Achilles) must prove their fitness to be considered.
Aaron Ramsey could be back after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Sunderland have won just one of their last 25 Premier League matches against Arsenal, a 1-0 win for Steve Bruce's side in November 2009 (D9 L15).
Arsenal have conceded just eight times in 15 visits to Sunderland in the league (including one game at Roker Park). The Gunners have kept a clean sheet in three of their last four at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats have never managed to score more than twice in a Premier League game against Arsenal, and in the two games they have scored twice they've failed to win either match.
Defoe has faced Arsenal 21 times in the top flight but has only scored twice - once at Highbury for West Ham in January 2003 and again for Spurs in their 5-4 loss to the Gunners in November 2004.
Sunderland have made the worst start to a Premier League season (two points after nine games) since Sheffield Wednesday had one point after nine games in 1999/2000.
Jack Rodwell has not won any of his last 34 Premier League games he has started, the longest run ever by a Premier League player.
This is a terrible game for Sunderland, who are struggling big time. I just can't see where that first win is going to come from and I really doubt it will be against Arsenal this weekend.
Middlesbrough caused them a few problems at the Emirates, but the Gunners were poor and I don't think they'll be that bad again.
I know Olivier Giroud came back in the midweek EFL Cup win, but I wouldn't be tempted to throw him in from the start.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-3 (Sky Bet odds 17/2)
Arsenal are the odds-on favourites at 2/5 with Sky Bet to claim three points on the road.
The bottom-of-the-table Black Cats are on offer at 13/2 to get a much-needed win and the draw can be found at 19/5 with the online bookmaker.
Six of Arsenal's last seven victories have come without conceding a goal and Sky Bet offer 11/8 for the Gunners to win this contest to nil.
Defoe provides Sunderland's main goalscoring threat and he is the Black Cats' top option at 8/1 in Sky Bet's first goalscorer odds. Gunners duo Giroud and Alexis Sanchez can't be split at the head of that market at 7/2.
