Premier League action kicks into full gear on Saturday, with an intriguing soccer matchup between Sunderland and Arsenal.
Our best bet for Sunderland vs. Arsenal is Arsenal to win to nil.
Sunderland vs. Arsenal best bet
Arsenal to win to nil
Arsenal has emerged as the clear favourite to win the Premier League in the opening months of the season. Mikel Arteta has a well-balanced squad, but it is the defensive unit that has stood out. Therefore, we are backing The Gunners to win and keep a clean sheet as part of our Sunderland vs Arsenal predictions.
Amazingly, Arsenal has won its last 10 competitive matches, keeping a clean sheet in nine of those matches. Newcastle were the only team to score against the Gunners during that period. In fact, Arteta’s team has conceded just one shot on target across its last four league games, so it’s safe to say that Sunderland is unlikely to have many scoring opportunities here.
Sunderland has made a superb start to the season and sits 4th in the Premier League table. However, Régis Le Bris’ side hasn’t been an attacking force, netting an average of 1.2 goals per game, below the league average of 1.34. The home side also has the fifth-lowest xG (expected goals) in the division, so another Arsenal clean sheet could be on the cards.
The Black Cats also have a miserable record against the Gunners, failing to win any of the last 12 meetings between the sides. Sunderland’s long absence from the Premier League means that those games date back to 2012, but Arsenal has reestablished itself as a real force in English football since then, so we should see a similar result.
Sunderland vs. Arsenal odds analysis
The Sunderland vs Arsenal odds have the league leaders as away favourites. The -250 price for an away win at bet365 implies a probability of 71.4%.
Given the Gunners’ recent form, it’s no surprise that they command a short odds-on price against a newly promoted Premier League side. Arsenal has faced one shot on target in the last 360 minutes of football in the Premier League. That was a 0.24 xGA (expected goals against) attempt from former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah versus Palace.
Sunderland has been handed an Asian handicap of +1.25 ahead of Arsenal’s visit. This handicap requires Arsenal to win by two goals. Notably, Sunderland is yet to lose a home fixture following promotion from the Championship last term.
The three home goals Sunderland has conceded this season suggest this is a decent Premier League outfit at home. Only Bournemouth and Arsenal have conceded fewer on home soil. However, when analysing Sunderland’s fixture difficulty up to this point, it’s clear that Arsenal’s arrival will be the most challenging test yet. Wilson Isidor is the favorite to score for Sunderland at any time in the fixture. Nine Arsenal players have been priced shorter to score in the Sunderland vs Arsenal odds, with Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino taking the favorite’s tag.