Sunderland v Arsenal Preview: Darren Bent Will Be Key Figure

Stadium of Light, Saturday 1500 GMT

SUNDERLAND:

Strange as it may sound, the team that benefited from the amazing beachball goal against Liverpool believe they are due a change of luck.

Since their victory over Liverpool, Sunderland have picked up only one point despite played well against West Ham and Tottenham, while they made a Carling Cup win exit against Aston Villa after dominating much of the tie.

No wonder manager Steve Bruce says:"We haven't had much luck since the beachball incident, but our level of performance has been high."

Now Bruce knows they have to raise the bar even higher if they are to overcome Arsenal, a team he openly admires. "We have to make sure we hit those high standards again if we are to get anything from Arsenal. They are very fluid and can score from anywhere.

"You have to be at your best and hope to catch them on a bad day. They are an exceptionally gifted team and I have huge admiration for their manager. Arsene Wenger has proved year in, year out, that he is very good at what he does."

As always, Darren Bent's finishing will be crucial, particularly with Kenwyne Jones still out through suspension, but the former Tottenham striker has done well against the Premier League's elite this season. Jones has already scored Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United and would love to add another against one of the so-called big four.

Strategy: Bruce will drum into his team the importance of retaining possession against an Arsenal team who have an uncanny knack of keeping the ball when they are given it. Expect Lorik Cana, back after suspension, to make an early impression in midfield, while Andy Reid will also be instructed to hassle the Arsenal playmakers. Bruce's big decision concerns his forwards, but he is likely to use Fraizer Campbell alongside Bent in the knowledge that goals will be needed against a team that has scored more away from home than anybody in the Premier League.

Injury Update: Keeper Craig Gordon faces several months out with a broken arm, which means a recall for Hungary international Marton Fulop, who lost his place through injury early in the season. Lee Cattermole is also a long-term absentee, while defender Michael Turner joins Jones on the sidelines through suspension. Bolo Zenden and John Mensah return to the squad after recovering from calf injuries.

ARSENAL:
Wenger suggested a month ago that a team's title ambitions could be effectively thwarted by the physical demands placed on them by November's gruelling schedule and the Arsenal manager must now fear his theory could be proved sound by his own team.

The north Londoners have swaggered through the season since their back-to-back league defeats in Manchester in September but now they face a new challenge: coping with an injury list which features eight players, all of whom could claim to be genuine contenders for a place in Wenger's first-choice line-up.

The timing is atrocious, with Arsenal braced for a daunting run of fixtures that sees them face Chelsea after this trip to Sunderland, a ground that holds few happy memories for Wenger.

If Arsenal can maintain their momentum in these devilishly difficult games, they deserve to be treated as genuine title contenders; if they do not, the suspicions of the cynics who would claim that Arsenal's squad is simply too physically frail and shallow in true quality would merely be confirmed.

"We have a game in hand. If we win that, we can be two points behind Chelsea, and we play them next week," said Wenger.
"But in our job, the most important game is always the next one. The game against Chelsea has more significance if we win tomorrow."

Strategy: The selection problems for Wenger are unlikely to see him tinker with a 4-3-3 formation that has yielded goals by the sackful this season. It is only the personnel that will change, with Eduardo da Silva likely to be asked to fill the role of central striker in the visitors' three-man attacking trident in the absence of Robin van Persie.

That could be the most damaging loss of all, as Eduardo boasts neither the physical stature or forceful personality associated with leading the line. Still, his penalty box prowess is not in question and Wenger will be hopeful that Arsenal's habit of providing goals from all over the pitch will mask the loss of van Persie, arguably his most impressive player this season.

The other major loss is Abou Diaby, who has provided solidity on the left side of Arsenal's midfield. His injury will also leave Arsenal even more exposed at left-back, where either the painfully inexperienced Armand Traore or ageing Mikael Silvestre will be forced to deputise as Gael Clichy and Kieran Gibbs nurse fitness problems. Sunderland should and almost certainly will target that area as they seek to inflict more pain on the Gunners.

Injury Update: In addition to van Persie, Diaby, Clichy and Gibbs, Wenger must also do without Nicklas Bendtner (groin). Theo Walcott returns to the squad after a knee injury while Denilson and Jack Wilshere are also fit again. Johan Djourou (knee), meanwhile, is out for the rest of the season.

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