Sunderland vs Arsenal

Sunderland V Arsenal

Kick-Off: Saturday, 18th September – 17:30 GMT
Venue: Stadium of Light
TV Coverage: ESPN

 

Sunderland

League Position: 10th
League Form: DWLD

Sunderland racked up their first ever Premier League win over Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal last season, with Darren Bent scoring the only goal of the game as the Black Cats sprung one of the surprises of the season. Twelve months on and Steve Bruce will attempt to inspire his players to yet another momentous victory over a side on top of their game right now, although that means securing back-to-back home wins over the Gunners is going to be a stiff ask.

It hasn’t been the most impressive nor tidiest of starts from Sunderland, who find themselves in 10th position after four games where the inconsistency issues which plagued them throughout the course of last season appears to be well and truly in their system still. Funnily enough, Steve Bruce has seen his team win just once since the start of the season and yet somehow that came against free-spending Manchester City, with Darren Bent once again the match winner with a convert spot-kick. You could argue that without Darren Bent Sunderland would be an average side, but they’ve been made even more ordinary but the unavailability of midfielder Lee Cattermole, who picked up his second red card of the season in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic and now misses the visit of Arsenal as a consequence.

Steve Bruce now has a huge hole to fill in the centre of the park, an area Arsenal will look to exploit very early on and it’s difficult to see how Sunderland will stop their opponents utilising the space available to them. In fact, Cattermole would have been ideal for this fixture, although the likelihood would have been another dismissal considering how slow and sluggish the former Wigan player is with his challenges, and again a nippy Gunners side he would have surely struggled to stay clean. However, at least Cattermole would have given Arsenal something to think about, a full-blooded player who wouldn’t of allowed Arsenal much time on the ball whatsoever, he may of even attempted to mark the destructive Cesc Fabregas out of the game.

Who would want to be in Bruce’s shoes right now? Arsenal were terrific during the week, playing Braga off the park in a 6-0 route, plus they’ve got off to a blistering start in the league as well, winning their last three league games on the trot and are now hot favourites to add Sunderland to their casualty list. Bruce somehow needs to restrict the amount of space and time made available to Arsenal, which is easier said than done. I don’t see how Sunderland will achieve this as they’ve always lacked concentration and are always quick to get down in the dumps when things aren’t going their way. Bent’s need to strike while the iron’s hot and score early else this contest could be over fairly early on if Sunderland aren’t careful.

 

Arsenal

League Position: 2nd
League Form: WWWD

The Gunners have made a promising start in all the competitions they’ve competed in thus far, racing into second position in the Barclay’s Premier League table following three wins and a draw, while they had no problems despatching of Portuguese newcomers Braga during the week in their UEFA Champions League opener, with Cesc Fabregas in particular back to his menacing best as Arsenal ran riot in front of a decent crowd at the Emirates stadium as Arsene Wenger’s stormed to the top of their respective group, Group H.

There shouldn’t be a single Arsenal player lacking in self-belief following their dazzling display whilst in European action in midweek, absolutely annihilating Braga in a 6-0 rout which sent out a message around Europe than Arsenal mean business this season, and the scary thing was Arsenal were missed a host of key players. Of course, their opponents on the night were no Barcelona or Real Madrid, but some of the football from Arsenal was breathtaking. I’m sure Sunderland manager Steve Bruce will have had a scout or two at that game and the message home won’t have been pleasing, with the job half done if you’re an Arsenal fan as Sunderland must be quaking in their boots at the prospect of facing a slick and rejuvenated Arsenal side.

Such was the dominance that Arsenal enjoyed in midweek that Arsene Wenger had the luxury of handing early rest bites to the likes of Marouane Chamakh, Arsenal’s only recognised striker at the present time what with Bendtner and Robin Van Persie currently sidelined, combative midfielder Alex Song as well as the delightful Arshavin, who was one of the quieter performers on Wednesday night but still got in amongst the goals. In terms of outstanding performers, just about every Arsenal player qualified, with Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas sensational in the middie of the park, so light on their toes but also so precise and clinical with their passing – Just a sheer delight to watch these two in action and if allowed similar time and space on the ball on Saturday, will destroy a Sunderland lacking in backbone following Lee Cattermole’s suspension.

Arsenal lost this fixture last season 1-0, with Darren Bent scoring the only goal of the game in what was one of seven away defeats for Wenger’s team last term. Seven defeats on the road is never going to be good enough to win you titles, but Arsenal did go some way to calming any early away apprehensions with an impressive 2-1 away at Ewood Park – A typically tough venue for any team. The Gunners displayed an abundance of courage and resilience to come through that physical encounter unscathed, but they’ll look to revert back to their usual swift and sleek passing moves and link-up play on Saturday as they look to play Sunderland off the park en route to another invaluable set of three points.

 

Match Prediction: Arsenal to WIN – 1.75 StanJames

Nothing short of magnificent in midweek, Arsenal get the nod to continue their fine vein of form by avenging their 1-0 defeat at The Stadium of Light last season with a comprehensive victory on Saturday. If ever Sunderland needed someone boasting battling qualities like Lee Cattermole it was for encounters such as this, where the Black Cats need to show some claws and get right in the faces of Arsenal.

If Arsenal get time on the ball, and we suspect they will against a Sunderland side which tends to lack a great deal of concentration at the best of times, the Gunners should walk away with the contest. Perhaps we are getting a tad carried away. After all, Sunderland do boast the prolific Darren Bent who does have a knack of scoring at home, but the absence of a backbone in the Sunderland midfield worries us, to the point where anything less than an Arsenal victory here would genuinely shock us.

Soccer-Betting Value Bet: Arsenal to Score 3 or More Goals – 3.50 SkyBet

 

Match Odds:

Sunderland – 5.50 Coral
Draw – 3.75 Boylesports
Arsenal – 1.75 StanJames

 

Sunderland V Arsenal

 

Kick-off: Saturday 21st November – 15:00 GMT

Venue: The Stadium of Light

 

 

 

Sunderland

 

League Position: 8th

Recent Form: DWLDL

  

This game has the makings to be a real thriller in Manilla, wherever that may be. Sunderland’s offence, I’m starting to sound like an American football commentator with that word, has come on leaps and bounds this season and is by far and away the area where Sunderland have improved the most this season. The arrival of Darren Bent has not only brought about more goals but also added some spice and excitement to the Sunderland fans, especially when playing at home. We’re hoping his early season form will bring about a tremendous atmosphere at the Stadium of Light this weekend.

  

To their credit, Sunderland have lost just one of three matches against the big four teams this season. Chelsea were the only side to beat Sunderland thus far, that coming in the form of a 3-1 win in which Sunderland actually took the lead, albeit losing 3-1 in the end. They were mere seconds away from an historic win at Old Trafford against Manchester United, eventually settling for a 2-2 draw, while they did get the better of Liverpool, by virtue of a beach ball, though. Nevertheless, Sunderland’s performances against the big boys this season has been outstanding, with a record of 1-1-1 thus far.

  

An in form Darren Bent has been the main reason why Sunderland have enjoyed a successful start to the campaign but he failed to make much of an impression last week in an international against Brazil with England. However, that shouldn’t hinder his confidence, after all, the former Spurs striker has eight league goals to his name this season, just two shy of Fernando Torres, a £25 Million pound striker.

  

Sunderland can score goals, we have established that, but their defence is still in need of a makeover. At The Stadium of Light, Liverpool have been the only visitors that have failed to break through the Black Cat rearguard. The likes of West Ham & Wolves, two teams near the foot of the table, have managed to score twice on Sunderland turf so the alarm bells will have already rung with the boss, Steve Bruce.

 

 

 

 

Arsenal

 

League Position: 2nd

Recent Form: WWDWW

  

Arsenal are back to their clinical and attractive best it would seem as they aim to extend their rich vein of form with a vital win at Sunderland, at a venue where they could only manage a 1-1 draw last season. However, they do have form on their side after going seven matches without defeat, consisting of six wins and one draw, while their football at times has been breath taking. We’ve said for a few weeks now that Arsenal are the team to beat at present, regardless of Chelsea topping the table, and we think they’re a good bet to claim all three points in what will be a tough fixture.

  

Arsene Wenger suffered a huge blow in midweek with the news that Robin Van Persie will be out for anywhere around six weeks after rupturing ankle ligaments. The Dutch international suffered the injury while on international duty and it will be a big test of this young Arsenal side in how they cope without a player who has scored seven goals in his last eleven appearances. Not only that but now the Gunners are without one of their sparks in the attacking third, a pivotal play maker, and with Nicklas Bendtner injured, Wenger could be left with no alternative but to play Eduardo up front all on his lonesome.

 

The absence of Van Persie is a big blow but we still feel Arsenal will have far too much to get through this game. They will, however, have to show some fighting qualities as the job at hand has now been made a whole lot harder without Van Persie’s on-pitch presence. Even with that said, Arsenal have been in a rich vein of form, scoring eighteen goals in their last five league games. They will also be buoyed by their four goal haul away at Wolves in their last game before the break so confidence within the Arsenal dressing will still be fairly high

 

Arsenal’s away record thus far stands at 3-1-2, with the defeats coming in a back-to-back fashion against both Manchester outfits, back in early September. Those defeats have long been forgotten, though, with Arsenal remaining unbeaten on the road ever since, recording two wins at Fulham (0-1) & Wolves (1-4). The draw was with West Ham (2-2) but Arsenal should have won that game were it not for a distinct lack of concentration, although, a big concern is the fact that Van Persie scored in two of those three matches so perhaps we are underestimating the cost of his absence.

 

  

 

 

Head-to-Head:

 

Sunderland W: 0 Arsenal W: 7 Draws: 3

 

Arsenal have domineered past meetings between the two and have taken a firm hold on the head-to-head count, winning seven of the previous ten meetings between the two. At The Stadium of Light, Sunderland did hold the Gunners to a 1-1 draw last season, but Arsenal previously won the three before, all with Sunderland failing to score.

 

If you are a goal backer then this might not be the best of games to be lumping on. Sunderland tend to struggle to score against the Gunners, while whenever there has been a few goals, they have generally come for the travelling Gunners.

 

Sunderland’s last league success over Arsenal came nine years ago when they beat Arsenal 1-0 at home. Arsenal have since gone on to remain unbeaten against the Black Cats.

 

 

 

 

 

Match Verdict:- Arsenal to WIN – 1.62 Bet365

 

This will be a true test of character for this young and, in places, inexperienced Arsenal team. Arsene Wenger has become all too familiar with injuries, though, to his best players, with Rosicky, Nasri, Bendtner & even Fabregas, all suffering knocks this season. However, they have yet to be tested without arguably their most creative player of them all – Robin Van Persie, although some will contest that statement. Edaurdo has only recently returned to training after injury so there will be slight concerns over his fitness levels but his natural pace and agility should aid the Arsenal midfield in creating plenty of chances against a Sunderland back four which hasn’t been at all convincing thus far. Sunderland’s best chance of sneaking a result will be to attack at every given opportunity. They longer they spend in Arsenal’s half, the less time Arsenal are in theirs.

 

 

 

 

Match Odds:

 

Sunderland – 6.00 PaddyPower

Draw – 3.80 VCbet

Arsenal – 1.62 Bet365

 

 

 

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Cesc Fabregas Anytime Goalscorer – 3.50 Expekt

 

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Full-Time: Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal

 

Goalscorer(s): Darren Bent (Sunderland)