Preview: Sunderland v. Arsenal

I got really drunk after the loss in this fixture last year, which was only partially related.
I don't know why I told you that. Pic via Daily Mail.

Stadium of Light, Sunderland

Saturday, September 18

17:30 BST, 12:30 p.m. EDT

• Referee: Phil Dowd
• This Match, Last Year: Sunderland 1 - 0 Arsenal
• All-Time in All Competitions: 52 Arsenal wins, 49 Sunderland wins, 36 draws
• Arsenal's Recent Form: D-W-W-W
• Sunderland's Recent Form: D-L-W-D

Predicted Line-Up

Almunia
Sagna - Koscielny - Squillaci - Clichy

Song - Fabregas - Wilshere

Nasri - Chamakh - Arshavin

Subs from: Fabianski, Djourou, Gibbs, Eboue, Rosicky, Denilson, Vela

Out: Vermaelen (Achilles), Diaby (ankle), Walcott (ankle), Van Persie (ankle), Bendtner (groin), Ramsey (broken leg), Frimpong (knee)

Arsenal News and Notes

• Abou Diaby and Thomas Vermaelen (ankle and Achilles, respectively) will miss the match and would likely have been sitting out next week's Carling Cup tie anyway, so both will return next Saturday when Arsenal hosts West Bromwich Albion.
• Vermaelen's injury will force Arsene Wenger to have Johan Djourou on the bench, even though the Swiss center back is not 100% fit for first team play, and has been playing lately with the reserves to work through an injury.
• The time table for return remains mid-October for Theo Walcott, Robin van Persie, and Nicklas Bendtner, "November" for Aaron Ramsey, and "May" for Emmanuel Frimpong, whose season is most certainly done with cruciate ligament damage.
• This means there are no changes in the squad from Wednesday and that the only way the starting XI changes would be as a result of a starter not being match fit after the short break.
• Arsenal are unbeaten in five competitive fixtures this season and are on a four game winning streak as well, their longest since winning six straight last winter. Dating back to last season, the Gunners are unbeaten in six.
• Arsenal have not kept a clean sheet on the road since a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa in January.
• Since Chelsea plays on Sunday, an Arsenal win puts the Gunners top of the league, at least for 22 hours or so.

Sunderland News and Notes

• The Black Cats will be without four players due to injury: Michael Turner is out with an ankle injury suffered in their win over Manchester City in late August, Craig Gordon has an arm injury and no time table for return, while Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler are long term absences with knee injuries.
• Sunderland will also be without their captain, Lee Cattermole, who just loves getting red cards, and will be serving the first of a two match ban on Saturday.
• Defender John Mensah is a doubt after picking up a knock in training on Thursday morning.
• In five competitive fixtures this season, Sunderland have only lost once, on the road at West Bromwich Albion.
• They are unbeaten in three home matches this year, but that includes a draw, a last minute win on a penalty, and a Carling Cup win over League One Colchester United.
• Sunderland's last loss at the Stadium of Light was their final home match of last season, so their unbeaten streak at home dating back to last year is still three. That was a 1-0 loss to Manchester United.

Match Facts

• Arsenal have not won in their last two trips to the Stadium of Light, losing 1-0 last year and drawing 1-1 the year prior. Before that, they had won on three straight trips to Wearside.
• Last year, Darren Bent scored in the 71st minute in this fixture to give the Black Cats a 1-0 win. It was Arsenal's first match after losing Robin van Persie to injury on international duty.
• Arsenal won the reverse fixture 2-0 at the Emirates in February.

The Referee

• The referee is Phil Dowd.
• Last year, Dowd worked Arsenal's 3-0 win over Aston Villa and 2-0 win over Bolton at the Reebok.
• For Sunderland, he worked their Carling Cup loss to Aston Villa on penalties, a 2-0 loss at Everton, and a 3-0 loss at Liverpool.
• So, as you can see, Sunderland did not score a goal in a match refereed by Dowd last season and Arsenal did not concede in theirs.

Around the League

• Saturday: Stoke City v. West Ham United; Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
• Saturday: Aston Villa v. Bolton Wanderers; Villa Park, Birmingham
• Saturday: Blackburn Rovers v. Fulham; Ewood Park, Blackburn
• Saturday: Everton v. Newcastle United; Goodison Park, Liverpool
• Saturday: Tottenham Hotspur v. Wolverhampton Wanderers; White Hart Lane, London
• Saturday: West Bromwich Albion v. Birmingham City; The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
• Sunday: Manchester United v. Liverpool; Old Trafford, Manchester
• Sunday: Wigan Athletic v. Manchester City; DW Stadium, Wigan
• Sunday: Chelsea v. Blackpool; Stamford Bridge, London