**_Sky Sports_ pundit Paul Merson has warned Arsenal that they will have to fight tooth and nail when they face Sunderland at the start of next month.**
After watching the Black Cats beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend, Merson says Regis Le Bris’s team will cause the Gunners plenty of problems:
“When I saw Arsenal’s fixtures recently, I thought they had such an easy run of games. But, in a couple of weeks, Sunderland are going to give them such a hard game at the Stadium of Light.”
“Sunderland will cause Arsenal problems. They are an athletic team with pace. They are well-drilled and organised, and they counter with pace. They also make the right decisions on the counter, picking the right pass. They didn’t waste the ball when they had it. I was so impressed with them at Stamford Bridge.”
Sunderland’s incredible start to the season
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The Black Cats currently find themselves sitting 4th in the Premier League table after nine games played, and nobody would have predicted that at the start of the campaign.
As well as beating Chelsea, Le Bris’s men have also taken several other scalps, including wins against West Ham, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Wolves. Their only defeats so far have been versus Burnley and Manchester United.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League fixtures
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[**Mikel Arteta**](https://goonernews.com/blog/arsenal-news-gabriel-arteta-2/)‘s side actually face two newly-promoted teams in their next two league games; both away from home. They travel to Turf Moor to take on Burnley this weekend, following the Carabao Cup tie against Brighton.
The trip to face Sunderland is the last match prior to the international break. On their return to club action, there is the North London derby at the Emirates before games against Chelsea (a) and Brentford (h).
[**Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here**](https://goonernews.com/blog/arsenal-first-team-squad/)