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An action-packed week of football continues with a bumper programme from the English Premier League.
Sunderland host Arsenal in the pick of Saturday’s matches, with armchair fans able to follow the play on TV and live streaming apps from 20:00 BST.
Will the Black Cats make home advantage count and snag a second win of the season, or will Arsenal maintain their 100% start to the campaign?
The leading UKGC-licensed bookmakers featured on this page offer a wealth of pre-match markets, including winner, total goals, and the first team to score. There’s plenty to choose from, and lots to get excited about.
Need help finding the value? Keep reading as trusted football betting writer Frank Monkhouse unpacks his big-match predictions.
Sunderland v Arsenal betting tips
Under 3.5 goals @ 3/10 (bet365)
Saka 2+ shots on target @ 13/8 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Result - Arsenal win
I’m expecting a competitive and entertaining match from Tyne and Wear on Saturday evening, but I have the away win as my best bet.
Both teams played in midweek. Sunderland edged fellow Premier League side Hull City 1-0 in the 3rd round of the League Cup on Tuesday. Arsenal were on UEFA Champions League duty in Naples 24 hours later, also winning 1-0.
Fatigue will hit both sides, so managers Regis Le Bris and Mikel Arteta must get creative with their matchday squads.
Sunderland started the week down in 12th, with four points gained from a possible nine. Arsenal sit joint-top of the Premier League with Man City, thanks to three wins from three starts. They’ve scored three more goals than their hosts, and conceded two fewer.
The stats connected with this fixture do little to inspire confidence among the home support. Sunderland have managed just one win in their last 29 league matches with Saturday’s big-name opponents. In that period, Arsenal boast 18 wins, with 10 games ending level.
Darren Bent scored in a 1-0 win for Sunderland over Arsenal back in 2009, but they’re winless in the 17 years since.
The Stadium of Light appears to hold no fear for Arsenal either, with the Londoners taking 29 points from the last 42 available, thanks to eight wins and five draws.
Stick with the champions, and back Arsenal to win their first four games of a top-flight season for only the sixth time in history, and the first since 2022.
Tip: Arsenal win @ 9/20 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Arsenal leave the Stadium of Light with all three points, your bet wins, and you’ll secure the profits.
Total goals - Under 3.5
Moving to my second Sunderland v Arsenal wager, and we dip into the totals markets, backing under 3.5 goals.
Followers aren’t interested in which team wins or who scores the goals. All you need is for the game to end with fewer than four goals scored by both teams combined. A 2-0 home win pays the same as a 1-1 draw or a 2-1 victory for the visitors.
Arteta has made his Gunners difficult to beat over the last 12 months. They conceded just 27 goals last term, the lowest in the EPL. Their closest rivals for goals against was Man City, but the Cityzens leaked eight more. That’s impressive.
This season, Arsenal have played three and conceded just once. Only Hull City has a better backline at this stage, with the Tigers yet to concede.
Helpful stat: Arsenal have the lowest ‘xG against’ of any team in the top division at 0.93. They allowed five shots on target against Chelsea, two at Villa Park, and one to Coventry City in the opener.
That’s fantastic, but there’s more.
Sunderland are the only team in the EPL to face fewer shots on target than Arsenal.
A bet on under 3.5 goals landed in each of Arsenal’s three league starts. That’s also true in Sunderland’s matches.
Tip: Under 3.5 goals @ 3/10 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Sunderland v Arsenal must end with fewer than four goals scored by both teams combined.
2+ shots on target - Saka
Moving on to my third and final pick, we dip into the player betting markets for a shot at higher odds.
Opta Stats show that Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka has had at least 1 shot on target in 11 of his previous 12 league starts away from the Emirates Stadium.
Saka is Mr Reliable on the road, and netted at this stadium last November. The 25-year-old also scored at Wolves and Brighton, among others.
Focusing on the early exchanges of this season, Arsenal’s number seven was on target in a 3-0 home win over Coventry City on gameweek one. He was also the difference when the Londoners won 1-0 at Villa Park in their previous away match.
Arsenal fans would love to see Saka add to his tally for the campaign, firing his employers into pole position. Bettors choosing to follow this pick don’t need him to find the net or even for Arsenal to win the match.
You’ll boost your betting balance if Saka has at least two shots on target at the Stadium of Light. He could score two showreel goals or the Sunderland goalkeeper could claim two weak attempts. As long as Saka has more than one shot on target, your bet wins.
Tip: Saka 2+ shots on target @ 13/8 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Bukayo Saka must have two or more shots on target during Saturday evening’s match in Sunderland.
Sunderland v Arsenal betting odds
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