The Mikel Arteta train is continuing to roll in north London, and despite a litany of absences, there are few signs of the Gunners grinding to a halt.
A club-record eighth consecutive clean sheet led to a tenth victory on the spin in midweek, as Arsenal maintained their perfect start to the 2025–26 Champions League with a 3–0 win over Slavia Prague.
The hosts made life difficult for the Gunners through tight man-orientation, which is emerging as the defensive meta across elite-level football. Sunderland are more varied in their approach off the ball, but there’s no doubt that they’ll ask the hopeful champions, who are six points clear at the top, to break them down at the Stadium of Light.
Arteta is without multiple attackers this weekend, and here’s the team he could pick on Wearside.
