Sunderland host Arsenal at Stadium of Light on Saturday, September 12 (3:00 PM ET \/ 2:00 PM CT \/ 12:00 PM PT).<\/p>\n
Sunderland go into this one without the injured Habib Diarra, ruled out by a thigh problem, leaving Enzo Le F\u00e9e and Granit Xhaka to dictate tempo through midfield, Nilson Angulo and Wilson Isidor to carry the attacking threat, and Trai Hume marshalling from the back. Arsenal travel without the injured William Saliba, sidelined by a lower back issue, while Declan Rice, Bruno Guimaraes, Jurrien Timber and Cristhian Mosquera are all doubts; Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis remain the headline names expected to feature if fit.<\/p>\n
Points-wise, Sunderland have taken 4 from 3 games while Arsenal have taken 6 from 2, both wins, and that gap in cutting edge should decide a match unlikely to open up. Sunderland’s goal difference sits at 0 through 3 outings, a sign their attack has had to work hard for openings, while Saka’s 2 goals from just 158 minutes show how little service Arsenal have needed to strike. Expect a scrap for the smallest of margins at the Stadium of Light rather than an end-to-end shootout.<\/p>\n\n\n