Sunderland vs Arsenal lineups will be closely watched as the two sides meet at the Stadium of Light on Saturday night. Kick-off is at 8:00 PM BST, with Arsenal looking to protect their perfect Premier League start and Sunderland aiming to make home advantage count against the reigning champions.
Both managers have selection issues after midweek fixtures. Régis Le Bris must deal with injuries to Habib Diarra and Romaine Mundle, while Mikel Arteta is still without William Saliba. Arsenal also have fitness concerns involving Jurriën Timber and Cristhian Mosquera.
The Sunderland vs Arsenal team news could therefore bring changes before kick-off. Granit Xhaka is set to face his former club, while Arsenal have several regular starters expected to return after their Champions League win in Naples.
Sunderland Lineup Today and Team News
The Sunderland lineup has been affected by the absence of Habib Diarra, who is out until after the international break. Romaine Mundle is also unavailable.
Robin Roefs is expected to start in goal, with Nordi Mukiele, Dan Ballard and Reinildo Mandava forming the defensive unit. Thomas Meunier and Trai Hume could operate as wing-backs.
Granit Xhaka is expected to captain Sunderland against his former club and partner Noah Sadiki in midfield. Enzo Le Fée and Nilson Angulo should provide attacking support behind Brian Brobbey.
Brobbey is pushing for a start after Wilson Isidor featured in the EFL Cup win over Hull. Le Bris rotated his squad in that match, allowing several regular players to return for the Arsenal game.
The predicted Sunderland lineup is Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Reinildo; Meunier, Sadiki, Xhaka, Hume; Le Fée, Angulo; Brobbey.
Arsenal Lineup Today and Team News
The Arsenal lineup also has defensive concerns. William Saliba remains out with a back problem, while Timber and Mosquera are still working towards full fitness and are not expected to start.
David Raya should start in goal. Ben White, Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhães are expected to form the central defense, with Riccardo Calafiori at left-back.
Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly are expected to feature in midfield. Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Christos Tzolis could support Kai Havertz in attack.
A selection question remains over Eberechi Eze and Tzolis. Tzolis impressed against Chelsea and could retain his place. Saka has already scored this season, while Ødegaard also found the net in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Napoli.
The predicted Arsenal lineup is Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Ødegaard, Tzolis; Havertz.
Sunderland vs Arsenal Confirmed Lineups and Live Updates
The Sunderland vs Arsenal lineups will reveal how both managers approach the late Saturday fixture. Sunderland are expected to stay compact and limit the space between their defensive and midfield lines. Xhaka’s experience could be important as the hosts try to manage Arsenal’s possession.
Arsenal are likely to control territory and use their wide players to stretch Sunderland’s defensive shape. Saka and Tzolis can provide width, while Rice and Ødegaard are expected to make forward runs from midfield.
Sunderland will also look for chances on the counter-attack and from set pieces. Brobbey could provide an outlet at the top of the pitch if he starts.
The Sunderland vs Arsenal team news could still change before kick-off, with late fitness checks likely to decide some positions. Official lineups are expected around one hour before the match.
The game will be shown on TNT Sports in the United Kingdom, with streaming available through HBO Max. The confirmed Sunderland vs Arsenal lineups will show how Le Bris and Arteta have set up their teams.
Sunderland vs Arsenal Lineups Today: Confirmed Starting XI, Team News and Live Updates