Arsene Wenger: 'Jermain Defoe Sunderland's main threat'

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has insisted that his team must be wary of Sunderland's Jermain Defoe when the Gunners travel to the Stadium of Light in Saturday's early kickoff in the Premier League.

Victory for Arsenal would move them above Manchester City to the top of the table, and they will visit a Sunderland team that have lost seven of their nine league games this season, failing to win in the process.

Wenger, however, has called on his side to be aware of the threat posed by Defoe, who has scored four times in nine Premier League appearances for Sunderland this season.

"Their main danger is Defoe, and they are good on set pieces with [Wahbi] Khazri. They are dangerous on set pieces. Overall they are a team who is in a bad position but it's very tight at the top and very tight at the bottom," Wenger told reporters.

"You have to admire Defoe for what he has done - when a guy at his age moved to the US you think that's the end in the Premier League. But he came back and had a huge impact and it's down to him that Sunderland stayed in the league. Must be a big passion - I don't know him well, but he is absolutely amazing."

Defoe returned to England in 2014 after a spell with MLS side Toronto FC and netted 18 times in 34 appearances for Sunderland last season.