Arsenal will be eyeing a sixth-straight Premier League win when they face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday evening.
The Gunners have won 10 consecutive games in all competitions and recently secured a 3-0 victory over Slavia Prague in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta’s side have a healthy six-point lead at the top of the league table, and could extend the advantage with a win over the Black Cats.
Manchester City are presently second in the standings. The Cityzens host Liverpool in Sunday’s much-awaited clash at the Etihad Stadium.
The Reds are third in the table with a seven-point deficit to the top. There is a possibility that both teams could drop points in a stalemate.
We anticipate Arteta to make three changes for the Sunderland trip.
David Raya is an undisputed starter in goal. He has kept seven clean sheets in 10 league games this term and will be eyeing another shutout.
Piero Hincapie got a surprise start over Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back against Slavia.
The Ecuadorian had an impressive full European debut for Arsenal. He won 100 percent of his duels (8/8) and tackles (2/2). Arteta described his performance as ‘really good‘.
Despite this, the manager is expected to revert to his regular backline. Riccardo Calafiori has been ever-present in the league and should be reinstated as the left-back.
The £35 million-rated star has been brilliant as an inverting left-back with three goal contributions. Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes will obviously complete the back four.
Martin Zubimendi’s one-game European suspension paved the way for Christian Norgaard’s first start in the Champions League. The former is expected to return in the number six role.
Declan Rice appears to be in the form of his life. He scored a brilliant headed goal at Burnley last weekend and went on to provide another assist during the 3-0 win at Slavia.
The Englishman is guaranteed to start in the number eight role. Eberechi Eze is poised to replace Ethan Nwaneri as the attacking midfielder after the latter failed to capitalise on his start in Prague.
Further forward, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard are nailed-on starters on the right and left wing. Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke are both injured and ruled out of the encounter.
Mikel Merino is expected to continue as the emergency striker with Viktor Gyokeres out with a muscle injury. The Spaniard has generally received a mixed reception among the fanbase, but he showed on Tuesday why he has become one of Arsenal’s most influential players this year.
Merino scored a splendid second-half brace. The 29-year-old has now netted nine goals and provided three assists from 17 games as a makeshift striker since February. He is set to lead the line against the Black Cats with Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines.
Early Predicted Arsenal line-up (4-2-3-1) vs Sunderland: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Merino.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
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