Arsenal winger Mesut Özil. (Photo : Getty Images)
Reeling team Arsenal FC (8-3-3, 27 points) will look to bounce back from a three-game winless skid as they take on surging Sunderland AFC (3-8-3, 12 points) at the Emirates Stadium on December 5, Saturday as the 2015-2016 Premier League season continues.
Arsenal was not able to pull off a win against lowly Norwich City at the Carrow Road last Sunday, settling to a 1-1 draw with the newly-promoted Norfolk club, via The Guardian.
German winger Mesut Özil drew first blood at the half hour mark of the match, but the Gunners gave up a goal to the Canaries courtesy of Jamaican striker Lewis Grabban's rebound play at the 43rd to equalize the count.
A scoreless second half ensued as Arsene Wenger's squad salvaged only a point in the overall standings with the team dropping down to fourth place.
Meanwhile, Sunderland scored its second consecutive win with a 2-0 upset over Stoke City at their home field of Stadium of Light last Saturday, according to BBC Sport.
Potters defender Ryan Shawcross received a second yellow card off another foul at the 47th minute, which dismissed him from the game, leaving Stoke undermanned the rest of the way.
The Black Cats had a hard time scoring until the final eight minutes of the match where they scored two goals, one each from defender Patrick van Aanholt and midfielder Duncan Watmore, to add the three points in the league table and get out of the bottom three for the first time this season.
The predicted result is a close 1-0 win for Arsenal. Sunderland's celebration will be short-lived as the Gunners are keen to redeem themselves from three straight lackluster performances.
Arsenal starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Cech; Monreal, Koscielny, Bellerín, Mertesacker; Ramsey, Flamini; Cazorla, Sánchez, Özil; Giroud
Sunderland starting lineup (3-5-2 formation): Pantilimon; O'Shea, Kaboul, Coates; Yedlin, M'Vila, Larsson, van Aanholt, Cattermole; Fletcher, Defoe
