Arsenal will go on top of EPL if the team beat Host Sunderland on Saturday. Moyes team is looking for the first win of the season,while Arsenal who drew goaless with Middlesbrough need the win to consolidate its position. Sunderland lost to WestHam 1-0.

TEAM NEWS

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe is set to return to the starting line-up after beginning on the bench in midweek.

Sebastian Larsson, Vito Mannone, Fabio Borini, Lee Cattermole and Jan Kirchhoff remain sidelined.

Arsenal trio Theo Walcott, Nacho Monreal and Santi Cazorla all face late fitness tests.

Fit-again pair Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey are available but Lucas Perez is out for two months with an ankle injury and Granit Xhaka is suspended.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Steve Bower: "When you feel like everything is against you, the last thing you need is an Arsenal team, unbeaten in 13 games, in town.

"That though is the latest of the huge challenges facing David Moyes and bottom club Sunderland, at the end of a week where the manager was sent to the stands in their EFL Cup defeat at Southampton.

"Sunderland are in desperate need of a lift and any kind of injection of belief, but the odds of that arriving at the Stadium of Light are long.

"Arsenal will be keen to show their failure to find the back of the net against Middlesboro was an isolated one and continue their impressive away form in this calendar year.

"Arsene Wenger has said he believes he has the squad to win the title, and he'll know these are the matches they have to be winning."

Twitter: @SteveBowercomm

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Sunderland manager David Moyes: "Our confidence is good and the players know they are doing better.

"The results haven't shown that but the last two results could have been different.

"We want the fans in full voice but what we do on the pitch will determine that so we need to get them off their seats."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "Their main danger is [Jermain] Defoe, and they are good on set-pieces with [Wahbi] Khazri. They are dangerous on set-pieces.

"Overall they are a team who is in a bad position but it's very tight at the top and very tight at the bottom."

Wenger and his boys must not make Moyes smile

Omooba77:
Wenger and his boys must not make Moyes smile

make I do stop over for Tyne and Wear, heading to the stadium of light to watch my guys. #CAYG

COYG!!!! #3points #TopSpot