Arsenal Heads to the Stadium of Light for Another Victory

On Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 10:00 PM Bulgarian time, Sunderland will host Arsenal in an intriguing clash for the 4th round of the English Premier League. The match is set to take place at the Stadium of Light, with John Brooks appointed as the head referee.

Sunderland currently sits 12th in the league standings with 4 points after the first three rounds (1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss) and a goal difference of 3:3. After a 1-2 defeat to Ipswich in their opening fixture, the "Black Cats" responded with a 1-0 home victory over Fulham and a 1-1 draw away at Brentford. Midweek, Sunderland also secured a 1-0 win against Hull City in the Carabao Cup.

Reigning champions Arsenal are in 2nd place with a perfect 9 points from three matches played and a goal difference of 6:1. Mikel Arteta's men began their title defense with a commanding 3-0 victory over Coventry, followed by 1-0 successes against Aston Villa and a 2-1 derby win against Chelsea. The Londoners are in excellent form, having also defeated Napoli 1-0 midweek in their Champions League opener. Prior to the season, they lifted the Community Shield after a 3-0 triumph over Manchester City.

Statistics heavily favor Arsenal. Sunderland has only one win in their last 29 Premier League encounters against this opponent and hasn't secured a league victory in the last 17 meetings (since November 2009). However, last season's match at the Stadium of Light ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw after a late goal from Brian Brobbey, while Arsenal won 3-0 at home in February 2026. In the last six meetings between the two teams across all competitions, Arsenal boasts four wins and two draws.

One of the most interesting aspects of the match will be the presence of midfielder Granit Xhaka, now a key figure for Sunderland, facing his former club. Meanwhile, Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard is in superb form, having scored 4 goals in the first five matches of the season across all competitions. Sunderland will heavily rely on their home advantage, considering they collected 33 of their total 54 points last season at their own stadium.

The main concern for Régis Le Bris is the absence of midfielder Habib Diarra, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Romaine Mundle is also unavailable. On a positive note, defenders Omar Alderete and Trey Hume have recovered and are back in the squad, while summer signing Malik Fofana is also awaiting an opportunity to feature.

In the Arsenal camp, central defender William Saliba remains a long-term absentee with a back injury. Jurrien Timber also misses out due to an ankle problem, and there are doubts surrounding Cristian Mosquera, who missed the midweek match against Napoli.