Xhaka Takes Center Stage as Sunderland Test Arsenal’s Records

The match at the Stadium of Light kicked off at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with live television coverage in the United Kingdom on TNT Sports 1. Digital streaming was available through the HBO Max application, where monthly subscriptions start at £30.99.

Sunderland manager fielded an unchanged lineup from the team’s 1-1 draw against Brentford the previous week. Roefs, Mandava, Ballard, Danso, Mukiele, Sadiki, Granit Xhaka, Angulo, Le Fée, Meunier, and Brobbey started for the Black Cats, with Ellborg, Hume, O’Nien, Alderete, Methalie, Talbi, Rigg, Fofana, and Isidor named as substitutes.

Arsenal made four changes after a 1-0 UEFA Champions League away victory over Napoli in Italy three days earlier. Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis, Riccardo Calafiori, and Myles Lewis-Skelly entered the starting lineup alongside David Raya, Gabriel, Ezri Konsa, Ben White, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka. Arsenal’s substitutes were Kepa Arrizabalaga, Piero Hincapie, Jurrien Timber, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Bruno Guimaraes, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, and Viktor Gyokeres.

Xhaka returned to the club he represented for seven years between 2016 and 2023, making 297 appearances and winning two FA Cups before moving to Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen and subsequently joining Sunderland. The Swiss international entered the fixture as the focal point of Sunderland’s central midfield.

His influence was reflected across several key statistical categories this season. Xhaka led Sunderland teammates in total touches (243), completed passes (163), passes delivered into the opposition penalty area (26), chances created (7), and fouls drawn (8).

Sunderland were seeking a third consecutive home league victory after beating London clubs Chelsea and Fulham. The last time the club won three straight Premier League fixtures at the Stadium of Light was in early 2012, when Manchester City, Swansea City, and Norwich City were defeated.

That home pursuit came against an Arsenal side with the lowest expected goals against (xGA) rating in the Premier League this season at 0.93. Only Sunderland (5) had allowed fewer shots on target than Arsenal (6) through the opening weeks of the campaign.

Arsenal were also attempting to win the opening four games of a top-flight campaign for the sixth time in the club’s 138-year history. On the five previous occasions Arsenal began a league season 4-0, the team won the league title three times, in 1930/31, 1947/48, and 2003/04, while finishing runners-up in 2004/05 and 2022/23.

This was only the second Premier League campaign in which Arsenal faced Sunderland as defending champions. The previous season in that position brought a 3-1 home victory and a 4-0 road win against the Black Cats during 2002/03.

Sunderland’s broader record against Arsenal remained difficult. The Black Cats had won just one of their last 29 Premier League meetings with the Gunners, recording 10 draws and 18 losses, and were winless in 17 consecutive games against Arsenal, with 6 draws and 11 losses. Their only victory during that stretch came in November 2009, when a Darren Bent goal secured a 1-0 win under former manager Steve Bruce.

At the Stadium of Light, Sunderland had recorded one win in its last 14 league fixtures against Arsenal, along with 5 draws and 8 losses. The club had been defeated in five of the previous seven meetings, while the equivalent match between the sides on Wearside last season finished 2-2.

Sunderland nevertheless held a distinctive record against defending Premier League champions at home. Each of the club’s four home victories against titleholders came against a different team: Manchester United in 1996/97, Manchester City in 2012/13, Chelsea in 2015/16, and Leicester City in 2016/17.

Arsenal’s lineup also featured two players with notable early-season numbers. Havertz had covered 32.9 kilometers this season, the highest total among Premier League strikers, and had recorded 50 sprints, second among all forwards behind Girona transfer Gonzalo Garcia (52). Tzolis ranked second in open-play chances created in the league with eight, behind only Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers (9), after registering an assist against Chelsea in Arsenal’s previous domestic fixture.

Touchline discipline became a first-half talking point when referee John Brooks showed Arteta a yellow card. Fourth official Elliot Bell reported the Arsenal manager after he stepped outside the boundaries of his technical area, an offense monitored under Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) side-line regulations.

Former England forward Dean Ashton discussed the booking during broadcast coverage on TalkSport, referring to Arteta’s reaction to the official before the yellow card was issued.

“Mikel Arteta says ‘well, I’m going to write a note about you as well’,” Ashton said during the broadcast. “But John Brooks has dished out a yellow card. The embarrassment’s terrific isn’t it, for Arteta?”