TIPS - Sunderland A.F.C. VS Arsenal F.C.

[(Sunderland A.F.C.) Strength]:
1. Swiss international Granit Xhaka started in the last league match and scored the equalizing goal, which was also his first league goal of the new season. In this upcoming match, he will also face his former club, Arsenal.
2. Sunderland A.F.C. had no midweek fixture this week, giving them an advantage over Arsenal F.C. in terms of physical conditioning and pre-match preparation.
3. Sunderland A.F.C. drew 1-1 against Everton F.C. in the last round of the league. They kept unbeaten in recent 3 league matches with 2 wins and 1 draw.
4. The newly-promoted Sunderland A.F.C. have made a surprisingly strong start to the season, currently sitting 4th in the standings and positioned in a European qualification spot.
5. Sunderland A.F.C. have won 7 of the last 8 matches in AH with a good trend.

[(Sunderland A.F.C.) Neutral]:
1. Sunderland A.F.C.'s last two matches have seen goals from both sides, indicating the team's recent capability to both score and concede in games is fairly consistent.

[(Arsenal F.C.) Strength]:
1. In the midweek UEFA Champions League match, Mikel Merino started and scored two goals. With Viktor Gyokeres absent due to injury, the Spaniard stepped up just in time to fill the void at center forward.
2. Arsenal F.C. have recently become one of the most in-form teams in Europe, securing 10 consecutive wins across all competitions, including 4 straight victories in the UEFA Champions League, while keeping 8 consecutive clean sheets.
3. Arsenal F.C. had a UEFA Champions League match this midweek, resulting in a resounding victory over Slavia Praha. They have won all the first 4 matches of the league phase in UEFA Champions League.
4. Arsenal F.C. beat Burnley F.C. 2-0 in the last round of the league. It was their 8th victory in the league this season.
5. Arsenal F.C. have got 5 successive wins in the Premier League. Their longest such run prior to this was an 8-match winning streak spanning from April to August 2024 (across seasons).
6. Arsenal F.C. have won all the last 3 encounters against Sunderland A.F.C., being at an advantage.

[(Arsenal F.C.) Weakness]:
1. Arsenal F.C. are currently hit by injuries. Key players Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are all on the injury list.
2. Arsenal F.C. have won only 1 of the last 4 matches in AH with unsatisfactory performances.

[Tips]:
Arsenal are currently in irresistible form. Even with a rotated squad in their midweek UEFA Champions League match, they secured a resounding 3-goal victory.

As the current Premier League leaders, they cannot afford to lose in this weekend's league fixture, as maintaining their lead at the top of the table is crucial.

Newly-promoted Sunderland A.F.C. have enjoyed an impressive season, with their significant recruitment during the break substantially strengthening the Black Cats.

However, given the current circumstances, Sunderland A.F.C. are unlikely to pose a serious challenge to Arsenal F.C., who are on a long winning streak.

Thus, we should go for an away win this time.

[Recommended]:
Arsenal F.C. (-1)