Preview: Arsenal v. Sunderland

Darren Bent's 71st minute goal beat Arsenal 1-0 in November. Sunderland has zero league wins since. Pic via Guardian.

Emirates Stadium, London
Saturday, February 20
1500 GMT, 10:00 am EST

• Referee: Steve Bennett
  
• This Match, Last Year: Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland
• All-Time in League Play: 46 Arsenal wins, 44 Sunderland, 35 draws
  
• Arsenal's Recent Form: W-W-D-L-L-W
• Sunderland's Recent Form: D-L-L-D-D-D
  

Predicted Line-Up
guesses italicized

Almunia
Sagna - Campbell - Vermaelen - Clichy
Fabregas - Song - Denilson
Nasri - Bendtner - Rosicky

Subs from: Fabianski, Traore, Silvestre, Eboue, Ramsey, Vela, Walcott
Out: Diaby (knee), Gallas (calf), Arshavin (hamstring), Merida (ankle), Eduardo (hamstring), Gibbs (foot), Van Persie (ankle), Djourou (knee)

• Sunderland defeated Arsenal 1-0 at the Stadium of Light in November. Sunderland has not won a Premier League match since, and their only win came against Conference side Barrow in the third round of the FA Cup.
• In their last game, Sunderland led Portsmouth 1-0 at Fratton Park, but Pompey equalized in the 96th minute.
• Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Sunderland was their first match of the year without the injured Robin van Persie.
• Arsenal is winless in their last three against Sunderland (a loss this year and two draws last year.) Before that stretch, the Gunners had won six straight against the Black Cats in all competitions.
• Sunderland's last league win at Arsenal came at Highbury, 2-1, on November 5, 1983.
• Darren Bent, who scored the game winner against Arsenal in November, has blamed Sunderland's disastrous recent form on the overuse of Twitter.
• This is the fourth time Steve Bennett will referee an Arsenal match this year. He also officiated a 4-1 win home to Portsmouth, a 4-1 win at Wolves, and a 3-0 win home to Hull City.
• Alex Song is about 80% likely to start at holding midfield, but Denilson will stay in the starting XI with the injury to Abou Diaby.
• Manuel Almunia is 50-50 to start in goal and will be tested for fitness on his twisted finger today.
• Sunderland have two players out injured but two more are serving suspensions and five more are doubtful.
• Arsenal are tops in the league averaging 3.2 goals per game, but that number has plummeted to 1.6 goals per game since Robin van Persie's injury.
• Sunderland has received six red cards this year.

Other Premier League Matches This Weekend

• Saturday: Everton v. Manchester United; Goodison Park, Liverpool
• Saturday: West Ham v. Hull City; Boleyn Ground at Upton Park, London
• Saturday: Wolves v. Chelsea; Molineux, Wolverhampton
• Saturday: Portsmouth v. Stoke; Fratton Park, Portsmouth
• Sunday: Blackburn v. Bolton; Ewood Park, Blackburn
• Sunday: Aston Villa v. Burnley; Villa Park, Birmingham
• Sunday: Fulham v. Birmingham; Craven Cottage, London
• Sunday: Manchester City v. Liverpool; City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester
• Sunday: Wigan Athletic v. Tottenham Hotspur; DW Stadium, Wigan