Sunderland's Granit Xhaka celebrates with a fan during a recent match/HANDOUT
Mikel Arteta revealed earlier in the week that Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, and Kai Havertz are all pushing to start this match.
The coach would not reveal his intentions, which could give Sunderland an advantage, but Arsenal fans would be delighted to see their captain back and Havertz playing behind the forwards.
Madueke’s challenge, however, is competing with Arsenal’s favourite son, Bukayo Saka.
A frightening statistic for Sunderland is Arsenal’s record of winning 24 of their last 25 games against promoted teams.
Arteta and the Arsenal faithful are convinced this is the season the Gunners will win the title for the first time since 2003/04. Most pundits predict Sunderland 0–2 Arsenal, but Regis Le Bris’s team are full of confidence.
They believe their forward line could test Arsenal’s reliable defence, spurred on by ex-Gunner Granit Xhaka, one of Sunderland’s best summer signings.
Striker Wilson Isidor has scored four goals in nine matches, but the slightly built Frenchman may struggle against Arsenal’s strong backline. Xhaka, as tough as ever, will battle Martin Zubimendi in midfield—a duel that could get spicy. He will drive his team on with total commitment.
Sunderland may lack household names, but coach Le Bris has his side well organised, and his strategies are paying off. Their 1–1 draw with an improved Everton on Monday showed they are well prepared for this game.
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United
Thomas Frank suffered a derby defeat to Chelsea last time out and will be seeking a comeback win against United. Spurs were poor in attack, registering only one shot on target. After the game, Frank admitted, “That hurt. I’ve never managed a team that created so little in one game.”
Following a thorough review on Monday, Spurs bounced back with a 4–0 win over FC Copenhagen in the Champions League. Lucas Bergvall will likely miss out due to a concussion. Guglielmo Vicario impressed against Chelsea and will start again.
Frank is known for his tactical flexibility, adjusting his lineup and system to each opponent. Having lost Son Heung-min to MLS and with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski injured, he’s struggling to get the same quality from Pape Matar Sarr and Randal Kolo Muani. With Bergvall out, United’s defence—Luke Shaw, Matthijs de Ligt, and Leny Yoro—should hold firm. Mo Kudus is expected to be available for Spurs.
Up front, Ruben Amorim can field Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who will test the Spurs’ defence. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro are performing well in midfield, while Amad Diallo is in hot form.
This could be the afternoon Benjamin Šeško wins over United fans, as Spurs may still lack confidence unless Frank pulls off a miracle. At the moment, Šeško is being compared unfavourably to Rasmus Højlund and is desperate to prove his RB Leipzig form was no fluke. He has two goals and one assist in ten matches.
Manchester City v Liverpool
It was bound to happen—Pep Guardiola has his team back up to speed, sitting second in the table. Mikel Arteta must be looking over his shoulder as City creep closer.
Manchester and Liverpool are only 31 miles apart, and the fierce rivalry between the two cities is as alive as ever. Neither coach wants to lose, and the same goes for their players. Based on recent form, City start as favourites, especially at home—but Liverpool should never be underestimated.
Erling Haaland, the mighty goal machine, will clash with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté in what promises to be a fierce battle. Andy Robertson steadied Liverpool’s defence last weekend, and if Arne Slot decides the backline is stronger with him, they’ll benefit.
Conor Bradley will face the pace and dribbling of Jérémy Doku, but he did well to shackle Vinícius Júnior in midweek and believes in his own ability. Robertson will have to cope with Rayan Cherki, who poses a slightly easier challenge.
Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden—back to his best and tipped for an England recall—will look to feed Haaland, while Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol marshal the defence in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Goalkeeper Alisson remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, which is a shame, as he and Donnarumma are among the best in the world—worth the ticket price alone.
This could be a testy contest between two coaches: one under pressure, the other climbing back after a poor start to the season.
