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Saturday, September 18, 2010

Premier League Preview: Sunderland - Arsenal

Marouane Chamakh & Jack Wilshere celebrate one of six Arsenal goals against Braga (Getty Images)
Marouane Chamakh & Jack Wilshere celebrate one of six Arsenal goals against Braga (Getty Images)

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Teams

 * Arsenal
 * Sunderland 

Stadium of delight to Stadium of Light

After their scintillating if ultimately undemanding 6-0 dissection of Braga in the Champions League on Wednesday, Arsenal face the more meaningful and probably more muscular challenge of Sunderland on Saturday evening. If the Gunners' football against the Portuguese debutants was often a delight to behold, they can expect to be shown far less space, or respect, by the Black Cats. Steve Bruce's side may be more prosaic than Arsene Wenger's, but they will be a lot more purposeful than Braga, and certainly won't hand their visitors an invitation to come out and play.

All of which merely underlines that this is precisely the sort of match in which Arsenal must prove their mettle if they are to silence the 'no trophy for five years' jibes next May. That means showing they've improved significantly from last season, when they succumbed to a damaging defeat in this fixture, inflicted by an unanswered Darren Bent goal.

The signs are encouraging so far. After a tentative opening day draw at Anfield, they've been ruthless against Blackpool and Braga, and more significantly come through tough assignments against Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers. The respective managers of those two north-west clubs, Sam Allardyce and Owen Coyle, have denounced Wenger this week for criticising some of the tackles against his players, fearing that the astute Frenchman is trying to influence officials to insulate his players from robust challenges.

Wenger, well used to barbs from managerial counterparts, would no doubt insist that they are missing his point, which is apparently that he is urging protection for the game of football, not just his own players. It's been pointed out that the successful Arsenal teams of Vieira, Keown, Adams, Petit, et al were no angels; at the same time it can't be denied that more recently too many of their players have been seriously injured by agricultural tackling.

Arsenal's boss may be perceived to have metamorphosed from poacher to gamekeeper, and it is instructive to compare the media's previous indignation at yet another red card (though many were for dissent rather than dismemberment) with their current mocking stance towards Arsenal's delicate flowers. The argument will be grist to Bruce's mill as he prepares his troops to bring Wenger's back down to earth.

Captain Cesc Fabregas has tried to put a lid on expectations and insists that the free-flowing Gunners are not getting carried away by their own hype, while the Sunderand camp has been exuding quiet confidence. Bruce will have noted that for all Arsenal's good attacking play they still look like conceding goals, and he will certainly know how influential Fabregas has been in the last two matches. Stopping him will doubtless be his priority, though he must do so without his own captain (for the time being) Lee Cattermole, who is having to reflect on his latest red mist, and card, while serving another ban.

Black Cats looking for repeat of last year

The Wearsiders collected a record nine Premier League red cards last season and have now earned five reds in their last seven league games, so Wenger may already be working on his post-match observations if his side don't emerge victorious and unscathed.

Nevertheless, Sunderland have had a reasonable if somewhat frustrating start to the season, conceding two late goals to Birmingham to snatch a home draw from the jaws of victory, then losing at West Bromwich Albion before beating Manchester City at the death. Last week they again surrendered a lead in a 1-1 draw with Bruce's former club Wigan, but there were positives to take from the match.

Record signing Asamoah Gyan enjoyed a scoring debut, Steed Malbranque, Jordan Henderson, Titus Bramble and Simon Mignolet earned good reviews and the team picked up their first away point of the campaign.

"We will have to play well from one to 11 to beat Arsenal, just as we did against Manchester City," Bruce told the club's official website. "We need to defend well, set ourselves up and make it very difficult for them. Without doubt, beating Arsenal was one of the best results of last year. Some of the football was terrific and we'll have to do that again."

He added: "You saw on Saturday that I was able to bring Riveros, Mensah and Gyan off the bench. That shows how strong our squad is now. We're delighted with the way things are shaping up. Teams are measured by the strength of their bench and we're making great strides with that. Look at the Chelsea game last year - I had kids on the bench. To be able to bring on Riveros, Mensah and Gyan last week shows how far we've come. For me, that's the big difference this season."

Arsenal, of course, are looking for a big difference of their own this term, and have history on their side. In the Premier League era the Gunners have won 10, drawn five and lost just three, including last season's 1-0 defeat, of their 18 meetings with the Black Cats. To keep in touch with leaders Chelsea they will need to make it won 11.
 
Good luck charm | Results against Black Cats have mostly been good for Arsenal

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Sunderland

Injury to Michael Turner and Lee Cattermole's suspension mean Bruce has selection decisions to make, especially as he could also be without Ghanaian John Mensah, who sustained a knock in training and may be rested as a precaution. Mensah had come on from the bench at Wigan last week.

Bruce could therefore opt to pair Titus Bramble with Anton Ferdinand in central defence. That was the partnership for the second half against Manchester City, and the Black Cats may will be set up in the same 4-5-1 formation that ultimately triumphed over City in the last home game.

Other options are to play Phil Bardsley at right-back and switch defender Nedum Onuoha, on-loan from City, into the middle.

Danny Welbeck and Cristian Riveros could start, or Bruce could give the nod to the experienced Bolo Zenden.

Possible Starting XI: Mignolet; Onuoha, Bramble, Ferdinand, Richardson; Welbeck, Malbranque, Henderson, Riveros, Gyan; Bent.
Arsenal

Wenger will be able to choose from an unchanged squad, with no injuries suffered in midweek, but more negatively none of his earlier casualties yet ready to come back.

Sebastien Squillaci, Jack Wilshere and Samir Nasri should therefore continue in the starting XI, though Wenger could give the likes of Emmanuel Eboue, Kieran Gibbs, Denilson and Tomas Rosicky a run out.

Abou Diaby could return against West Brom next Saturday after injuring his ankle against Bolton last weekend, and Thomas Vermaelen is also set to return against the Baggies as he recovers from an Achilles injury.

Robin van Persie (ankle), Theo Walcott (ankle), Nicklas Bendtner (groin) and Aaron Ramsey (leg) are still sidelined.

Possible Starting XI: Almunia; Sagna, Koscielny, Squillaci, Clichy; Fabregas, Song, Wilshere; Nasri, Chamakh, Arshavin.

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