All of the earlier matches have now finished. Barry Glendenning has the details of the 3pms and wins for Everton and West Ham, but only the lunchtime kick-off had any effect on this match, in so much as the point Spurs gained in their 2-2 draw with Manchester United has nudged Sunderland down one spot to fifth.
Here’s an illustration of the size and scope of the task facing Sunderland today. Arsenal last conceded a goal at 5.05pm on 28 September. Since then, they’ve only allowed 12 shots on target in 12 hours and 56 minutes of football, over eight-and-a-half matches, a sequence that equals a club record established in 1903, when they were still knocking around in Woolwich. Nick Ames digs deeper.
Sunderland are in If It Ain’t Broke mode. They name the same XI that started the 2-1 win at Chelsea and the 1-1 draw with Everton. This will be the first time Granit Xhaka has faced Arsenal since leaving the Gunners two years ago.
Arsenal make three changes after their 3-0 win at Slavia Prague. Eberechi Eze, Martín Zubimendi and Riccardo Calafiori step up; Ethan Nwaneri, Christian Nørgaard and Piero Hincapié sit down. Viktor Gyökeres remains on the injury list with a hamstring problem.
Sunderland: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida, Mandava, Traore, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee, Isidor.
