VAR controversy during Sunderland 1-1 Everton as Louis-Dreyfus delivers interview
Sunderland host Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday evening
The Black Cats have started the season in fine form, and are currently fourth in the table having taken 18 points from their first 10 matches. Indeed, had they beaten Everton on Monday evening, rather than drawing 1-1, they would have headed into the weekend as Arsenal’s closest challengers at the summit.
For their part, the Gunners are on an imperious run, keeping eight consecutive clean sheets across all competitions and only conceding three goals in the Premier League at the time of writing. Their only defeat of the campaign came against Liverpool in late August, and they haven’t dropped points since a 1-1 draw with Manchester City on September 21st.
Nevertheless, in a shock forecast, Austin has nailed his colours to the mast and suggested that it will be Regis Le Bris’ men who come away with all three points on Wearside.
What has Charlie Austin said about Sunderland vs Arsenal?
During an appearance on Sky Sports FC, the pundit was asked whether Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka was the signing of the season so far, to which he responded: “I said this from the start, I said Sunderland would stay up. They’ve been phenomenal, and Granit Xhaka as the captain has got hold of that team, and I think what he said after the game [against Everton], ‘We started the game the same way as we finished training, and we need to train the way we play and play the way we train’ - that’s a leader.”
Pressed on his prediction for Saturday evening’s showdown in the North East, he added: “Sunderland 2-1 Arsenal. And now I know that Arsenal have only conceded three goals, but I’m going for it. I’m fully part of the Black Cats this year.”
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Austin is not the only talking head to make a bold Sunderland claim in recent days, with former Black Cats hitman Darren Bent arguing that the club could turn their attention to a European charge if they continue on their current trajectory for much longer.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “Sunderland, if they had won last night [Monday] could have gone second. I know they drew so they're still fourth, which is still incredible, but I still think - I mean, it's early - but there's no way on the planet that Sunderland are going down. That's for a fact. But I just wonder when Regis Le Bris’ expectations will start to change, because I understand, still now only ten games, in it might be a little bit of, ‘Right, listen, we still don't want to go down’, but it's gonna get to a point where, say, they're bouncing around the top ten - maybe a tenth, sixth, in around there - I wonder if his expectations might shift a little bit and he goes, ‘You know, what? Let's go for Europe’.”
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