EPL: Arsenal FC vs Sunderland

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*Arsenal v Sunderland preview*

Premier League leaders Arsenal go in search of their 10th successive victory in all competitions when Sunderland arrive at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners have been in irresistible form this season with the departure of Thierry Henry acting as a catalyst for the emergence of a new team unit, with the 19th August draw at Blackburn the only game they have not won.

Roy Keane enjoyed many memorable meetings with Arsenal as a Manchester United player - particularly when going head-to-head, sometimes literally, with Patrick Vieira - but Sunday's showdown provides an entirely different challenge.

The Sunderland boss has seen his side beaten in four of their last six games and his defence will have to be at their best to keep Opta Player of the Month Emmanuel Adebayor, strike partner Robin van Persie and in-form midfielder Cesc Fabregas at bay.

Injuries easing

Arsene Wenger's injury list is easing with goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and William Gallas now back in full training.

Lehmann has been sidelined with Achilles and then elbow problems, while Gallas damaged his groin at Ewood Park, although neither player will be in the squad to face The Black Cats.

Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and Alex Song (calf) have also returned to training but are not yet match fit, while Croatia forward Eduardo Da Silva is ruled out with an ankle injury.

Etuhu

Sunderland midfielder Dickson Etuhu is hoping to return against the club he supported as a boy after serving a one-match suspension.

Liam Miller took over from Etuhu in the 2-1 home defeat by Blackburn after the former Norwich player received five bookings for the season.

Andy Cole (calf) and Carlos Edwards (hamstring) will not be considered until after the international break.

Kieran Richardson (back), Russell Anderson (ankle), Dean Whitehead and Stanislav Varga (both knee) are longer-term absentees.

felirox SG

Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn has told the Sunderland players to enjoy the game on Sunday and show the impressive young guns Sunderland deserve to be in the Premier League.

Quinn told safc.com "It's going to be a tough task but it's what we've been aiming for, to be playing Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium is great"

"Arsenal are in dazzling form and you expect your goalkeeper and defenders to have a busy day but it's also a wonderful challenge for the players, to stick out their chests and perform on a great stage"

"They are doing something very good and it's a pleasure to go down there and play them but it doesn't mean we sit there and admire them. We're hoping to come away with people saying that we're worthy of our place in the Premier League."

Quinn is hoping to learn from the Gunners directors on Sunday he went on to say

"I'll be hunting for information from the Arsenal directors because the way they do it is the template for us all."

thongs SG

Originally posted by felirox:
Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn has told the Sunderland players to enjoy the game on Sunday and [b]show the impressive young guns Sunderland deserve to be in the Premier League.

Quinn told safc.com "It's going to be a tough task but it's what we've been aiming for, to be playing Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium is great"

"Arsenal are in dazzling form and you expect your goalkeeper and defenders to have a busy day but it's also a wonderful challenge for the players, to stick out their chests and perform on a great stage"

"They are doing something very good and it's a pleasure to go down there and play them but it doesn't mean we sit there and admire them. We're hoping to come away with people saying that we're worthy of our place in the Premier League."

Quinn is hoping to learn from the Gunners directors on Sunday he went on to say

"I'll be hunting for information from the Arsenal directors because the way they do it is the template for us all."[/b]

k la, arsenal won derby by 5-0? they will win sunderland by 3-0, not as bad as derby, so deserved to be in the premier league

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*Arsenal v Sunderland*

Arsenal trio Abou Diaby, Gilberto and Theo Walcott all are pressing for a recall to the starting side.

But Eduardo, Jens Lehmann, William Gallas, Tomas Rosicky and Alex Song are all sidelined still.

Sunderland midfielder Dickson Etuhu is back in contention after serving a one-match ban.

Andy Cole still has a calf injury, while Russell Anderson, Carlos Edwards, Kieran Richardson, Dean Whitehead and Stanislav Varga also miss out.

Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini, Eboue, Adebayor, Van Persie, Fabianski, Diaby, Gilberto, Diarra, Denilson, Bendtner, Walcott.

Sunderland (from): Gordon, Ward, Nosworthy, Halford, Kay, McShane, Anderson, Higginbotham, Collins, Harte, Etuhu, Wallace, Yorke, Miller, Leadbitter, Chopra, Jones, Stokes, Murphy, Connolly, O'Donovan.

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*Wenger praises Keane*

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Roy Keane has the mental strength to keep Sunderland in the Premiership.

As the two teams prepare to meet at the Emirates Stadium in a high-noon clash on Sunday, Wenger has praised the attributes of the young manager.

He believes Keane's managerial career so far has been helped by curbing the impulsive side to his nature.

Wenger told the Daily Mail: "For me, he looks surprisingly calm.

Impulsive

"At first, he was a more impulsive guy. I think what helped him a lot was he tried to deal with that in the final part of his playing career.

"You could see he was becoming a different player, dominating the impulsive side of his character - and that helped him to start well as a manager."

Last year, Keane took over a Sunderland side languishing rock-bottom of the Championship and then took them on an impressive run to the title.

While the challenge this season is different, Wenger believes the Irishman has the mental strength to keep the new-boys in the Premiership.

Paying tribute to Keane, he said: "I've been impressed with what he did last year because he took over at the club in a difficult position and turned it round in an extremely convincing way.

Challenge

"This season the challenge is different and for a young manager very tough.

"If he manages to keep them up he will have had a great season.

"I think he has the mental strength to achieve it."

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*Wenger calls for focus*

Arsene Wenger has warned Arsenal they must stay focused when they take on Sunderland at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are chasing their 10th successive victory in all competitions and are up against a Black Cats side who are still to win on their travels on their return to the top flight.

But Wenger is taking nothing for granted and knows his team cannot afford to take their foot off the gas against Roy Keane's men.

Performance

"That is our test," the Frenchman said. "At the start of the season, it was to believe we were good enough - now it is to keep a strength in our belief, stay focused.

"We know with an average performance we can lose against Sunderland.

"You can never guarantee a top-level performance - but I can guarantee our players will be focussed to produce a top-level performance.

"I feel we have hungry people, intelligent people and humble as well. There is a good mixture in there."

Qualities

Wenger has seen enough Premier League seasons not to get carried away with the superb start to the campaign.

He said: "We can still drop out of the top four if we are not consistent."

"At least we have shown that we have qualities to be in there and to fight for the championship.

"I always felt we could do that, right from the start.

"I am not surprised we are doing well, because I had to resist when everyone was saying to me 'buy, buy, buy' - and even bye-bye!"

Manager433 SG

Picks come:

Take Arsenal to beat Sunderland by 2 or more goals.

Cool

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The match is about to start.

Line Up (Arsenal):
24 Manuel Almunia
22 Gaël Clichy
6 Philippe Senderos
5 Kolo Toure
3 Bacary Sagna
2 Vasiriki Abou Diaby
16 Mathieu Flamini
4 Francesc Fabregas
13 Alexander Hleb
25 Emmanuel Adebayor
11 Robin Van Persie

Substitute:

26 Nicklas Bendtner
19 Gilberto Silva
21 Lukasz Fabianski (gk)
32 Theo Walcott
27 Emmanuel Eboue

Line up (Sunderland):
1 Craig Gordon
14 Danny Higginbotham
5 Nyron Nosworthy
6 Paul McShane
33 Ross Wallace
15 Danny Collins
12 Liam Miller
18 Grant Leadbitter
16 Michael Chopra
19 Dwight Yorke
17 Kenwyne Jones

Substitute:

4 Dickson Etuhu
3 Ian Harte
13 Darren Ward (gk)
23 Roy O'Donovan
9 Anthony Stokes

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match starts..

omgukilledkenny SG

RVP 1-0

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van persie.. Embarassed

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One way traffic.. Hmmm. Wonder if Gunners can make another huge huge score after the match against Derby. Neutral

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GGOOOOAAAALLLLLLL!!!!

SENDEROS!!!

the Bear SG

grrr.. thought it was 8pm.. already 2 goals Mad

turbo_drift SG

12pm (uk time) = 7pm (Singapore time)

the Bear SG

should be 3-0.. no offside what... Mad

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Relac relac.. Offside only.

the Bear SG

GOAL!!!!

Sunderland is back in the game! Very Happy

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Mad

Arsenal defenders sleeping ar? Mad

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Fabregas wasted a free-kick. Sad

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