Sunderland vs Arsenal Predictions

• Sunderland are yet to draw a blank at home in the Premier League this season.
• Two third of the goals Arsenal have conceded have come in their five away games.
• Arsenal are on a 10-game winning run across all competitions.

Arsenal looking to retain lead

Arsenal head to Sunderland in a 5.30pm Premier League kick off on Saturday knowing a win would see them at least retain a six-point lead in the standings going into the November international break.

Sunderland have been this season’s surprise packages and they are riding high in fourth spot after winning promotion. With 18 points on the board after 10 games, the Black Cats already have around half the total they will need to avoid an immediate return to the second tier.

Goals at both ends the value option

Arsenal are clear favourites to win and the Gunners should be expected to extend their ongoing 10-game winning streak, despite Sunderland’s impressive start.

However, the standout bet here could be backing both teams to score at what looks a big price. The Gunners have hit 18 goals in 10 league games and have only failed to score in one game this season in any competition, a 1-0 loss at Anfield back in August. A goal for the visitors feels inevitable, and there is a case to be made for Sunderland at least getting on the scoresheet against the Premier League’s stingiest defence.

Regis Le Bris’ side are yet to draw a blank at home in any competition this season and in the league they’ve hit nine goals in five home games, while overall they have scored in seven of their last nine across all competitions.

Arsenal managed another clean sheet in midweek at Slavia Prague – but they did allow their opponents a few chances and their shut out was perhaps as much due to poor finishing as it was to good defending. The Gunners also have a quick turnaround here, while Sunderland have had an extra day to prepare for the visit of the league leaders.

Gunners should still win comfortably

A goal is likely to be as good as it gets for Sunderland and their unbeaten home run should be ended by Mikel Arteta’s visitors. The hosts did manage a win at Chelsea recently but this in-form Arsenal side have scored multiple goals in four of their last five games and after hitting three at Slavia in midweek they can match that total with a 3-1 win in the north east.

Arsenal will probably be without Viktor Gyokeres again after he sat out the win in Prague so Mikel Merino is likely to fill in as a makeshift centre forward. The Spaniard scored twice in the Czech Republic and he can follow that up with another goal this weekend.

Build better bets with our free betting tips, predictions and accumulators, every day.