Copyright Sports Illustrated
Sunderland will face their toughest test of the season on Saturday when they welcome Premier League leaders Arsenal to the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats are coming off a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Everton on Monday, maintaining their impressive unbeaten home record. Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League with 25 points from 10 matches, having won eight, drawn one, and lost just once. They sit seven points clear of fourth-placed Sunderland, who have accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures, the best performance by a newly promoted team at this stage since Hull City collected 20 points in 2008-09. Mikel Arteta's side is enjoying an extraordinary defensive run, having kept eight consecutive clean sheets across all competitions and conceding just three goals in 10 Premier League matches this season. They have also allowed only one shot on target in their last four games. Saturday’s matchup will be the first league clash between Sunderland and Arsenal since May 2017. The Black Cats have struggled against the Gunners, winning only once in their last 27 Premier League meetings since 2000, a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light in 2009. Regis Le Bris' side will hope to continue their incredible run at home and secure another win against their first "Big Six" opponent since defeating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on October 25. What Time Does Sunderland vs. Arsenal Kick Off? Location: Sunderland, England Date: Saturday, November 8 Kick-off time: 5:30 PM GMT / 12:30 PM ET/ 11:00 PM IST Venue: Stadium of Light How to Watch Sunderland vs. Arsenal on TV and Live Stream In the United Kingdom, fans can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR, with pre-match coverage beginning at 5:00 PM GMT. Fans can also use the Sky Go app and the NOW streaming service. In the United States, the match will broadcast on NBC with streaming available on Peacock and NBC.com. Indian viewers can watch on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network, while Australian fans can catch the action on Stan Sport. What's Next For Sunderland? Following the Arsenal match, Sunderland will have a well-deserved two-week break during the international window before resuming their campaign on November 22 with an away fixture at Fulham's Craven Cottage. They will then return home to face Bournemouth on November 29, followed by a challenging trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool in early December. Their run from Championship champions to genuine Premier League contenders has already exceeded expectations. If they manage to get a few more wins in the upcoming fixtures, the Black Cats might be headed to the European championships.
