Arsenal vs Sunderland: Premier League line-ups confirmed as Jesus and Havertz start

Arsenal welcome Sunderland to the Emirates this afternoon with the chance to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points.

The Gunners are still flying high after seeing off London rivals Chelsea to reach the Carabao Cup final, where they will face Manchester City.

Despite competing on all four fronts, Mikel Arteta’s men are still taking things one game at a time, and will be wary of this dangerous Sunderland side.

The Black Cats have made a wave on their return to the top flight, and have already taken points off Arsenal this season.

You can catch up with all the team news from North London, as well as live commentary from the match right here on 101greatgoals.

Arsenal team news

Arsenal remain without Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard, but there is good news as Jurrien Timber is fit to start against Sunderland.

The defender comes into a starting XI that also includes David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus, with Mikel Arteta making five changes from the midweek Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Piero Hincapié, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyökeres drop to the bench.

Arsenal starting XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Zubimendi, Havertz, Madueke, Trossard, Jesus

Arsenal substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Hincapie, Eze, Martinelli, Gyokeres, Norgaard, Lewis-Skelly

Sunderland team news

Regis Le Bris has named an unchanged team from Monday’s 3-0 home win over Burnley.

Sunderland starting XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo, Hume, Le Fee, Sadiki, Talbi, Diarra, Brobbey

Sunderland substitutes: Ellborg, Cirkin, O’Nien, Geertruida, Rigg, Mundle, Isidor, Mayenda, Angulo

Arsenal v Sunderland: TV channel, online live streams

This match starts at 15:00 GMT (10:00 ET / 07:00 PT) on Saturday. The game is not being shown live in the UK.

Arsenal v Sunderland stats

• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 18 home league games against Sunderland (W13 D5) since a 2-1 loss at Highbury in November 1983
• A 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in their last home league game has put them at risking of losing consecutively at home for the first time since April 2022
• The Gunners are unbeaten in their last 43 at home to promoted sides (W38 D5), which is the joint-longest run in Premier League history (Chelsea also achieved 43 between 2001 and 2015)
• They have scored more goals from corners than any other side in the Premier League this season (14) and are two shy of the most goals from corners in a single campaign (16 by Oldham in 1992/93, West Brom in 2016/17 and Arsenal in 2023/24)
• Four of Viktor Gyokeres’ six Premier League goals for Arsenal this season have come against promoted sides (three vs Leeds, one vs Burnley)
• Those four goals have come from just six shots (67% conversion rate), compared to two goals from 29 shots against everyone else (7% conversion)
• Sunderland have won one of their last 28 Premier League games against Arsenal (D10 L17), prevailing 1-0 at home in November 2009
• The Black Cats have never won in 16 Premier League away games against Arsenal (D5 L11), only visiting Liverpool more often without a victory in the competition (17)
• None of their seven Premier League away games (D3 L4) have resulted in victory since a 2-1 win at Chelsea on October 25
• No promoted side has ever won away at both Arsenal and Chelsea in a Premier League campaign
• They have faced the third-most shots in the Premier League this season (337) but have conceded the joint-third fewest goals (26)
• Their goals conceded to shots faced ratio (7.7%) is the lowest across a single campaign since Liverpool in 2018-19 (7.2%)
• Dan Ballard and Brian Brobbey were on target for Sunderland in their 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the reverse fixture. The last player to score home and away for them against Arsenal in the same league season was Tommy Wright in 1953/54
• Robin Roefs has made the third-most saves (76), has the second-highest save percentage (74.3%) and the joint-fifth most clean sheets (8) of any goalkeeper in the Premier League this season
• The last time a goalkeeper kept more clean sheets for a promoted side was in 2020/21 (Illan Meslier 11, Alphonse Areola 9)