Arsenal head to Sunderland on Saturday night aiming to continue their blistering start to the season.
The reigning Premier League champions have made a flawless start to the campaign with three consecutive victories to kickstart their title defence.
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Arsenal got their season going with a convincing 3-0 win over Coventry before a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Aston Villa.
Last time out, the Gunners came from behind to see off Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea in their toughest test of the season so far.
Next up is a trip to the Stadium of Light where Mikel Arteta’s side could only manage a 2-2 draw last season.
Sunderland quickly bounced back from their opening day defeat at Ipswich by picking up four points in their last two matches.
A 1-0 win over Fulham preceded Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Brentford and boss Regis Le Bris will be plotting a huge upset in this weekend’s clash.
How to follow Sunderland vs Arsenal
Arsenal travel north to take on Sunderland on Saturday, September 12.
Kick-off at the Stadium of Light is scheduled for the changed time of 8pm.
The match was moved to Saturday evening to accommodate Arsenal’s Champions League clash away at Napoli in midweek.
talkSPORT’s exclusive live radio coverage of the match.
Reshmin Chowdhury will be your host before commentary from Sam Matterface and former England striker Dean Ashton.
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Premier League Match Odds with talkSPORT BET
Sat, September 12
- Aston Villa 5/4 – Draw 12/5 – Notts Forest 85/40
- Bournemouth 29/20 – Draw 27/10 – Brentford 13/8
- Liverpool 4/9 – Draw 4/1 – Fulham 11/2
- Chelsea 2/9 – Draw 6/1 – Hull 11/1
- Crystal Palace 17/20 – Draw 11/4 – Ipswich 3/1
- Spurs 1/1 – Draw 12/5 – Everton 13/5
- Sunderland 13/2 – Draw 3/1 – Arsenal 9/20
Sun, September 13
- Coventry 29/10 – Draw 27/10 – Brighton 5/6
- Man Utd 2/1 – Draw 11/4 – Man City 11/10
Mon, September 14
- Leeds 13/10 – Draw 5/2 – Newcastle 9/5
See all Premier League match odds over at talkSPORT BET
*odds subject to change, 18+ gambleaware.org
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Sunderland vs Arsenal team news
Jurrien Timber could make his return to action for the trip to Sunderland.
The right-back has not featured since the Champions League final but travelled with the squad for the 1-0 win at Napoli on Wednesday.
“Let’s see,” Arteta said on the Dutchman. “We have another training session today. He’s been training with us for a few days. Let’s see.”
Arteta also confirmed that Cristhian Mosquera is doing “really well” after missing the Gunners’ last two games due to a knock.
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Ben White is expected to be available for the Saturday evening clash despite being substituted in the win in Italy.
The Gunners boss could hand £75million summer signing Bruno Guimaraes his first Premier League start following his return from injury.
Guimaraes will likely get a hostile reception on Wearside given his recent links to Newcastle.
Arsenal will be without long-term absentee William Saliba (back).
Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz are expected to start on Wearside after their early-season goalcoring exploits.
Sunderland, meanwhile, will be without Habib Diarra who has been sidelined by a thigh injury.
Le Bris can count on key trio Enzo Le Fee, Nilson Angulo and Granit Xhaka against Arteta’s men.
King Kai
Arteta heaped huge praise on Havertz who has netted three goals in his opening five appearances this season.
The versatile German continues to be utilised as a false nine but Arteta believes his best position relates to the demands of any given match.
“Kai is extremely intelligent – that’s his biggest quality,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
He understands the game – he’s five, 10 seconds ahead. He knows what’s happening, he doesn’t need to think about it – he just acts, and it makes the people around him better which is another massive quality.
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“On top of that, he’s scoring goals, producing chances. He’s outstanding, and he’s in a great emotional state at the moment.
Asked if his position can change game by game, the Arsenal boss added: “It can, yes, because you can play as a nine, but what do you play as a nine? What’s your role with and without the ball? It’s a lot of things, a position on the pitch.
“When you put it in a tactical world, you probably put the nine in the centre – but then what do you do when there’s a set-piece, a transition moment, a high press, what if the goalkeeper is right or left-footed?
“There are a lot of factors that are going to take that space and the initial position to a different dimension.”
