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Sunderland vs. Arsenal: Head-to-head record and past meetings

Surprise package Sunderland and steadfast leaders Arsenal collide in a highly intriguing 5.30pm Premier League kickoff at the Stadium of Light this Saturday.

Mikel Arteta's visitors are on the hunt for a sixth straight top-flight triumph on November 8, but they will remain at the summit of the standingsover the international break no matter what transpires in gameweek 11.

Victory for Sunderland could see the Black Cats become Arsenal's closest challengers, though, as at least one of Manchester City - one point above - and Liverpool - only ahead on goals scored - will drop points in their Sunday showdown.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 154

Sunderland wins: 50

Draws: 41

Arsenal wins: 63

Thanks to Sunderland's periods of dominance against Arsenal at various points in the 20th century, this particular head-to-head is not as one-sided as some may believe, but the Gunners still boast more successes with 63 compared to the Black Cats' 50 from 154 meetings.

Throughout the Arsene Wenger and Mikel Arteta eras, this matchup has unsurprisingly been dominated by the North London giants, who have avoided defeat in each of their last 12 games against Sunderland, winning nine and drawing three.

Not since the 2011-12 FA Cup have the Black Cats prevailed in this battle, winning that fifth-round tie 2-0 thanks to a Kieran Richardson strike and an own goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, avenging a 2-1 Premier League loss just seven days before.

The latter result was particularly memorable for travelling Gooners, though, as Thierry Henry - back in England on a two-month loan - scored the winning goal for Wenger's men with 90 minutes on the clock.

However, Sunderland have to travel even further back to November 2009 for their most recent league win against Arsenal, who fell to a 1-0 loss at the Stadium of Light on that occasion courtesy of a solitary Darren Bent effort.

In more recent times, Arteta oversaw a 5-1 thumping of the Black Cats in the 2021-22 EFL Cup, where Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick alongside strikes from Nicolas Pepe and former starlet Charlie Patino.

The Gunners also did the double over Sunderland in the 2016-17 Premier League season by an aggregate scoreline of 6-1, and their last home defeat to the Black Cats was during the Highbury days - a 3-2 League Cup loss in 2002.

Sunderland earned one of the most momentous victories in this fixture, though, trumping Arsenal 2-1 in the semi-finals of the 1972-73 FA Cup as a Second Division team, before also shocking Leeds United in the final.

Last 20 meetings

Dec 21, 2021: Arsenal 5-1 Sunderland (EFL Cup)

May 16, 2017: Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Oct 29, 2016: Sunderland 1-4 Arsenal (Premier League)

Apr 24, 2016: Sunderland 0-0 Arsenal (Premier League)

Jan 09, 2016: Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland (FA Cup)

Dec 05, 2015: Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

May 20, 2015: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Oct 25, 2014: Sunderland 0-2 Arsenal (Premier League)

Feb 22, 2014: Arsenal 4-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Sep 14, 2013: Sunderland 1-3 Arsenal (Premier League)

Feb 09, 2013: Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal (Premier League)

Aug 18, 2012: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Feb 18, 2012: Sunderland 2-0 Arsenal (FA Cup)

Feb 11, 2012: Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal (Premier League)

Oct 16, 2011: Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Mar 05, 2011: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Sep 18, 2010: Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal (Premier League)

Feb 20, 2010: Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Nov 21, 2009: Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal (Premier League)

Feb 21, 2009: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Last 10 Premier League meetings