Preview: Sunderland vs Arsenal - prediction, team news, lineups

The Stadium of Light hosts the Granit Xhaka derby on Saturday at 8pm, when Sunderland welcome Premier League champions Arsenal to their Wearside home.

The Black Cats scraped past Hull City 1-0 in the EFL Cup third round last time out, while the Gunners beat Napoli by the same scoreline in the Champions League.

Match preview

The defence vs. attack battle that Arsenal vs. Chelsea was billed as did come to fruition, but not in the manner that many expected, as the Gunners' rampant attack proved too hot for the Blues' leaky backline to handle rather than the other way round.

Morgan Rogers's quickfire volley was a brief shock to the red and white system, but a Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard-inspired comeback ensured that Arsenal would win their opening three Premier League games of the season for just the second time in the last 22 years.

Only five times in history have the Gunners won their first four matches of a league campaign - most recently in 2022-23 - but Mikel Arteta's side are already five for five in all tournaments after Wednesday's hard-fought success in Naples.

Shipping just the one goal in each of their competitive affairs so far this season - Community Shield included - Arsenal unsurprisingly also boast the lowest xG against in the 2026-27 Premier League, a mere 0.93.

Furthermore, the holders have faced just six shots on target in the current top-flight campaign, although the only side to have conceded fewer just so happens to be Saturday's hosts - the Black Cats have only allowed five on goal up to this point.

While Arsenal's continental campaign is now up and running, Sunderland fans may already be casting one eye over to September 16, when AZ Alkmaar's visit to the Stadium of Light marks the start of their Europa League adventure.

Regis Le Bris's side have already furthered their ambitions of collecting one piece of silverware, though, taking down Hull in Tuesday's all-Premier League League Cup showdown courtesy of a Chemsdine Talbi goal midway through the second half.

Sunderland's knockout success saw Regis Le Bris's side extend their unbeaten run to three games in all tournaments, following the collection of four points from a possible six against Fulham (1-0) and Brentford (1-1) in the top flight.

Also relying on second-half goals in both of those fixtures, the Black Cats claimed a point against the Bees thanks to Enzo Le Fee's late penalty, making them the only team with a goal difference of zero in the current Premier League campaign.

Brian Brobbey bedlam memorably ensued when Sunderland snatched a point in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Arsenal last year, but the Gunners strode to a 3-0 home win in February, extending their unbeaten Premier League run against the hosts to 17 matches since a Darren Bent-inflicted defeat in 2009.

Sunderland Premier League form:

Sunderland form (all competitions):

Arsenal Premier League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Team News

Arteta was in a position to make a handful of changes to his Arsenal XI against Napoli, despite missing both Cristhian Mosquera (muscle) and Jurrien Timber (groin), both of whom are doubtful for Saturday too.

William Saliba (back) is a long-term absentee, but the champions have no fresh worries from their Champions League exertions, although more alterations are in store.

Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori should all be restored to the lineup, Tzolis already boasting four assists from his first five games for the club but still waiting to open his own account.

As for Sunderland, Le Bris sustained no new serious concerns after the Brentford or Hull fixtures, prior to which Habib Diarra was ruled out for six to eight weeks with the thigh injury he sustained against Fulham.

Winger Romaine Mundle is also expected to miss the rest of 2026 after undergoing knee surgery, but Nilson Angulo and one-time Arsenal transfer target Malick Fofana are higher up the wide pecking order anyway.

The Belgian got 79 minutes into his legs in the cup and could now make his full Premier League debut, supporting the returning Brobbey after Wilson Isidor got the nod up front against Hull.

Sunderland possible starting lineup:

Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Danso, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Angulo, Le Fee, Fofana; Brobbey

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Lewis-Skelly, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz

We say: Sunderland 1-3 Arsenal

Midweek fatigue should not be a factor in either side's performance at the Stadium of Light, thanks to Arteta's options for rotation and Le Bris's multitude of changes in the cup.

However, with Arsenal evolving even further on the attacking front, the holders have our complete backing to maintain their 100% start to the season.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.