Arsenal travel to the Stadium of Light on Saturday knowing they will remain top of the Premier League regardless of the result, but Mikel Arteta’s side will not take their latest opponents lightly.
Few would have predicted Sunderland would be sitting in fourth place 10 games after promotion, yet Régis Le Bris has moulded a disciplined, confident young side that has lost just twice all season.
Arsenal arrive in the North East seeking an 11th consecutive win in all competitions and an eighth straight clean sheet, having equalled a club record that stood since 1903 with their midweek victory over Slavia Prague.
The Gunners’ defensive record has been remarkable, though Arteta’s squad remains heavily depleted in attack. Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyökeres are all unavailable, with several expected to return only after the international break.
Sunderland’s injury situation is similarly testing.
Habib Diarra, Leo Hjelde, Romaine Mundle, Dennis Cirkin and Aji Alese are all ruled out, while winger Omar Alderete remains a doubt after missing the last two games with a head injury. “We don’t know yet [whether he’ll be fit to face Arsenal], he had a residual symptom, so we have to assess his health,” said Le Bris earlier this week.
Much of the pre-match attention has fallen on Granit Xhaka, the former Arsenal captain who has flourished on Wearside since joining from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.
The 33-year-old has already been handed the captaincy by Le Bris, contributing three assists and a goal in what he described as an “incredible start” to life in red and white. “It is not usually the case that a player comes in and is made captain, but the club had a clear plan with me for the future and what they wanted from me,” Xhaka said.
“I’m 33 now and with my experience in the UK and abroad, I have had many coaches in my career where I took a lot from them. I’m very happy to be in England and at Sunderland. I knew the club was huge with its history and its fanbase, but I can feel it now.”
“He is like a second coach on the pitch,” said Le Bris recently. “His influence is even greater than expected.”
As I know you’re wondering, he has three yellows in 10 games – a booking every 3.33 games. At Arsenal, his rate was one every 3.9 games.
Despite Sunderland’s form, history offers little encouragement for the hosts.
They are winless in their last 15 Premier League meetings with Arsenal (D5, L10), last claiming victory in November 2009.
All three of their Premier League wins over the Gunners have been 1-0 home results, and they have never scored more than once against the Gunners in 16 top-flight encounters at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland have also failed to beat a side starting the day in the top four since 2014, when they defeated Chelsea, and have not beaten a league leader since Manchester City in January 2012.
For Arsenal, a sixth straight league win would match their longest streak under Arteta since early 2024, and continuing their clean sheet run in the league would be their best defensive sequence in the league since the George Graham era in 1987.
While Arteta’s side have rarely looked more assured, Sunderland’s discipline and physical intensity will ensure this is no procession.
If the Gunners extend their run into the international break, they will do so the hard way.