We head to Sunderland for the first time in eight years on Saturday (5.30pm), looking to increase our lead at the top of the Premier League table and create more history in the process.
Should our 13-game unbeaten run continue with another victory coupled with a clean sheet, we would become the first English top-flight side ever to win nine consecutive matches in all competitions without conceding, while a ninth-straight shutout would set a new club record.
The omens look good as we are unbeaten in our last 12 games against the Black Cats in all competitions, but Regis Le Bris' current crop will pose a very different test. Their excellent start sees them begin the weekend in fourth place, and no team has yet left the Stadium of Light with three points since they returned to the top table of English football.
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Surprise package
After winning the Championship play-off final in dramatic circumstances to end an eight-year wait for a top-flight return, few would have predicted that the Black Cats would make such an impression in the season’s first few months.
18 points have already been claimed, the most a promoted side has won 10 games into a Premier League season since Hull City in 2008/09, while the Black Cats remain unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this season, having beaten West Ham United, Brentford and Wolves, as well as drawing with Aston Villa and then Everton on Monday night.
That point against the Toffees - clinched with a goal from ex-Gunner Granit Xhaka - extended their unbeaten run to three, which also includes a surprise 2-1 victory at Chelsea a fortnight ago, when top scorer Wilson Isidor bagged his fourth of the campaign before Morocco winger Chemsdine Talbi netted a 93rd-minute winner.
What the managers say
Arteta: “When you analyse [Sunderland] and see how well-organised they are, how they adjust things, and the spirit they have within the team, I'm not surprised. They fully deserve the position that they have at the moment.
“It is going to be a different game to Tuesday, a very different game to Tuesday, and to the week before. We need to read it, we need to understand very early what the game requires, what we have to do to be better than them and hopefully beat them.” - every word from Mikel’s pre-match press conference
Read more Every word from Arteta's pre-Sunderland presser
Le Bris: “We have to be brave. We have to play our best football, and if we are afraid or a bit reserved against this team, we’ll be punished. If we are too emotional, we’ll be punished. So it has to be a masterclass! It’s a perfect test after 10 games.
"It’s exactly what we want - to be competitive in this league and to play against these great teams. It will be a different match, different game, but I think and hope we will be ready."
Team news
Arteta has confirmed it is unlikely that any of the players who sat out our Champions League win in Prague on Tuesday will be in contention to return on Saturday, meaning Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli haven’t recovered from their hamstring and groin issues respectively.
It is hoped that some of Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz could be available following the international break after rehabbing their knee injuries, as could Gabriel Jesus who has returned to light training following his lengthy lay-off.
Sunderland centre-back Omar Alderete had started every game before picking up a concussion in the win against Wolves last month, and having missed the last three games, is unlikely to be fully recovered for Saturday.
Club record signing Habib Diarra remains out with a groin problem, while Ajibola Alese (shoulder), Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Romaine Mundle (hamstring), Leo Hjelde (Achilles) and Habib Diarra (groin) have all been out for over a month and will also sit this out one.
Talking tactics
Adrian Clarke: No Premier League side has a higher duel success rate than Sunderland, so in what is likely to be a hostile atmosphere, we can expect Le Bris’ side to be strong, forceful and aggressive. At the outset at least, the hosts will want to turn it into a physical battle.
The Black Cats have quality on the ball too, with Xhaka a revelation in central midfield. Unusually, he has been used on the right of a midfield pairing in recent weeks, oozing quality with his short and long-range passing. It would also put him in regular contact with Declan Rice in a duel between two of the division’s most in-form midfielders.
Tactically, we can’t be sure which formation Le Bris will deploy. He started the campaign with a 4-3-3 that evolved into a 4-2-3-1, but in their last two matches, the Wearsiders have played in a 3-4-2-1 that becomes 5-4-1 out of possession. Given how well we are playing at the moment, I sense that Sunderland will go with a back three once again. If they don’t, it will be a sign they plan to be positive in their approach.
We must look out for Nordi Mukiele’s long throws [above], and mark Hale End academy graduate Dan Ballard very closely as he has had nine headed shots in 2025/26, second only to Erling Haaland. The diminutive Enzo Le Fee is skilful in wide areas, and our shooting will also need to be clinical against Robin Roefs, who has an 81% save accuracy, preventing 2.7 extra goals.
Facts and stats
We have won our last five Premier League matches, last winning more in a row between April and August 2024 (eight wins). Our last four wins have all come without conceding – we last won five in a row with clean sheets in September/October 1987 under George Graham.
Sunderland are unbeaten in their five home league matches this season, their longest start to a Premier League campaign without losing at home since 2010/11.
Should we keep a clean sheet, we’ll equal the English top-flight record for fewest goals conceded after 11 games of a season (also 3 for Man Utd in 1991/92 & Chelsea in 2004/05).
Sunderland are winless in their last 15 Premier League games against us, since a 1-0 home victory in November 2009.
All three of our Premier League defeats against Sunderland have come away from home, and all by a 1-0 scoreline. We’ve never conceded more than once in 16 visits to the Black Cats in the competition.
We have won 24 of our last 25 Premier League games against newly promoted sides, including each of the last 14 since a 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest in May 2023.
We have scored eight Premier League goals from corners this season – the most ever by a side in their first 10 games. Since 2022/23, we have scored 51 goals from corners in the competition, 14 more than anyone else.
We have faced just 19 shots on target in the Premier League this season – including only one across our last four games – this average of 1.9 faced per game is the lowest by a team Opta has on record in a season since 2003/04.
Read more The goal machine who starred for us and Sunderland
Match officials
We have won seven of the last nine matches Craig Pawson has officiated, although the previous two saw us draw at home to Everton and lose to West Ham United last season, when he dismissed Myles Lewis-Skelly. Sunderland meanwhile have won two of 15 matches overseen by him, but they beat Stoke City last season in his last visit to the Stadium of Light.
In his six Premier League matches so far in 2025/26, the Sheffield whistler has dished out just 12 yellow cards, as well as one red and awarded two penalties.
Referee: Craig PawsonAssistants: James Mainwaring, Mat WilkesFourth official: Anthony BackhouseVAR: James BellAssistant VAR: Adam Nunn
Last visits to Wearside
This will be the first meeting between the teams since we triumphed 5-1 in a League Cup quarter-final in December 2021, while it’s the first visit to Sunderland’s home since October 2016, when we ran out 4-1 victors with braces from Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud seeing us cruise to victory over David Moyes’ side.
Six months earlier, we played out a goalless draw at the same venue, while in October 2014 another double from Sanchez secured us a 2-0 success when Arteta was a part of our midfield.
Read more Remember these five great wins at Sunderland?
Live coverage
This season, Live From N5 is the place to be for live commentary of all our men’s first-team games across 2025/26.
Tune in from just before kick-off, when Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke will once again be behind the mics to guide you through the on-field action.
You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the action live, wherever you are in the world.
Read more How to watch Sunderland v Arsenal on TV
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