Sunderland vs Arsenal - Premier League LIVE: Can Gunners go top? Mikel Arteta's champions face tough test against Black Cats

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Follow Daily Mail Sport's live coverage for the latest updates from Arsenal's trip to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League.

Xhaka reunited with Gunners

I guess you could call this the Granit Xhaka derby.

Many of you may have forgotten, but Xhaka was actually one of the main men in Arsenal's midfield when they started getting pretty good under Mikel Arteta.

He had quite the topsy-turvy Arsenal career overall, but in his final season at the club four years ago, the Swiss international was pretty damn phenomenal.

Xhaka has since moved on and is now the skipper at Sunderland, but the relationship between him and the Gunners is still very strong.

It won't stop him giving his all against them, though.

Granit Xhaka of Sunderland arrives at the stadium before the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Arteta: 'I sabotaged my players in pre-season'

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal boss, speaking ahead of the game:

I try to create them in pre-season and arrive at different times so when they happen we have already experienced it. You can miss a flight and the train can be delayed, but I don't want the players or staff to be panicking when it happens and instead adapt to it. But do not complain and use it as an excuse because it's not helpful at all.

We delay the meals, delay the transport, take a different route, make the dressing room hot, less beds, because we are going to have to adapt so there is not an element of surprise on matchday. It's important.

We experienced last season how difficult it will be and it's great to play these type of games. We have prepared, we are ready tomorrow to be on the pitch and compete like we always do - and be better than the opponent and try to win the game. Last year, we dropped points there in the last minute [drawing 2-2] and we've learned a lot from that game.

Black Cats bogey team

It's weird to describe Arsenal as a bogey team considering how good they are, but just look at this stat.

Sunderland have only won one of their last 29 Premier League meetings with Arsenal.

Now, I'm sorry, but that's a bogey team.

But can the Black Cats finally back a second win tonight? I doubt it, but lets see.

Brian Brobbey of Sunderland scores his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on November 08, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

'I can't go against Arsenal'

Chris Sutton, former Premier League striker, on BBC Sport:

This was a cracking game last season, finishing 2-2, and it is arguably Arsenal's toughest test so far in this campaign. I really like Sunderland and their European campaign has not started yet so those extra games won't affect them here.

I feel like being brave and giving them a draw because they are well capable of taking a point off Arsenal, but the Gunners just have the ability to shut up shop when they need to, and they can get physical again if they need to.

Thinking about it, I can't really go against an Arsenal victory, because of the players they were able to bring on in last weekend's comeback win over Chelsea. They have got A-list replacements everywhere they look and, if they need a goal against Sunderland, I can see them bringing someone on to get them one.

Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Emirates Stadium on September 06, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Odegaard on fire

Martin Odegaard is in the form of his life.

Honestly, we haven't seen the Arsenal skipper play like this in a long, long time. I'd argue he's in better knick than he was during the 2022-23 campaign, back when he was on fire

The midfielder scored an absolute cracker in midweek against Napoli, making it four goals in five games this season.

The bloke only managed to net one the whole of last season...

Odegaard is clearly loving his football right now, which makes him more dangerous than ever. He is making Arsenal tick, and boy are they ticking.

Can he get another goal or assist tonight?

Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between SSC Napoli and Arsenal FC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on September 09, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal Team News - Calafiori RETURNS

Why change a winning formula?

Mikel Arteta has decided to bring back Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christos Tzolis and Kai Havertz into the side.

It means that he is fielding the same starting line-up in the Premier League for the fourth game on the spin.

Can they notch up another win?

Sunderland Team News - UNCHANGED

Regis Le Bris certainly knows his best side.

The Sunderland boss has decided to stick with the same side that drew with Brentford last week.

I mean, it was a pretty decent result, so I understand why Le Bris has decided to not change anything.

Guimaraes to start against old enemy?

Want to know why Bruno Guimaraes is smirking in this photo?

Well, it's because he was being subjected to a lot (and I mean A LOT) of boos as he entered the Stadium of Light. The Sunderland fans have not forgotten his Geordie history.

The question is, is the other reason for his smile because he is starting tonight against the old enemy?

I'll let you know in just a sec. No hints.

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Gunners seek top spot

It could be a very good night for Arsenal.

If they get the job done here in Sunderland, they will leapfrog rivals Manchester City to go to the top of the tree. Well, for at least a day.

Below the top two, though, the Premier League is looking, well, a little weird.

It's only three/four games in, but its a little all over the place (in the best kind of way).

Who would have had Hull in third after four games? Not me.

Saturday recap

It's been a day; it really has.

This is the first time in what feels like forever where we had a proper Saturday of 3pm action. There were loads of games.

And in all but one of those games, there were heaps of goals. I was covering all of them, and man, I was a busy boy.

Here are the results from the day so far:

Liverpool 0-0 Fulham
Chelsea 2-2 Hull
Crystal Palace 2-3 Ipswich
Bournemouth 2-2 Brentford
Aston Villa 1-2 Nottingham Forest
Tottenham 0-0 Everton (latest)

Joao Pedro of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Chelsea FC and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on September 12, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Showstopper in Sunderland

Last but not least.

Well, what a day we have already had. We don't often get stacked super Saturdays of Premier League footie these days, but this one has been a belter.

It started with plenty of drama across the country, and now we are about to finish it with the defending champions doing battle in the North East.

The Gunners take on Sunderland, looking to make it four wins from four and go top of the Premier League, but as they well know, that's not an easy thing to do when playing at the Stadium of Light.

It was a cracker of a clash last season and I have a sneaky little suspicion that it will be the same again tonight. Trust me, my suspicions are rarely wrong... (joking, they are actually terrible).

Anyway, let's get this show on the road.