Prediction: Sunderland vs Arsenal

17th February 2012

The two teams are set to face each other just seven days after Arsenal came from behind to win their Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light. This time the two sides are set to square off in the FA Cup last 16 stage, and there are absolutely no doubts we will see another exciting clash in Sunderland.

In spite of the heavy investment in the playing squad over the last few years, the Black Cats just couldn’t realize their potential under Steve Bruce, so nobody was surprised to see the experienced manager sacked at the end of November. The club owners made the right choice in appointing charismatic Martin O’Neill and while the team were expected to show some improvement under the Northern Irish manager, nobody was able to predict what ensued. The Black Cats went on to record nine victories in thirteen games under O’Neill, before suffering an unlucky defeat to Arsenal, thus significantly improving their league position and making it to FA Cup last 16 stage. Sunderland scored the opening goal against Arsenal midway through the second half, but they ended up losing the game as Thierry Henry scored the winner deep into the injury time after Aaron Ramsey had canceled James McClean’s opener. The Black Cats, nonetheless, proved they can match their more illustrious opponents and are now hoping to make amends for the aforementioned defeat. The good news is that captain Lee Cattermole is expected to return from injury, but Nicklas Bendtner and David Vaughan are unavailable.

This game comes at the worst possible time for Arsenal as the team could need some time to recover from the embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Milan. The Gunners entered the Champions League clash at San Siro high on confidence, having had recorded back to back Premier League wins after quite a while, but instead of proving their worth against the Rossoneri, Arsene Wenger’s side became mere spectators of what was a real lesson in football by their more experienced opponents. It remains to be seen whether the Gunners will be able to recover from such a disappointing defeat, but the loss at San Siro is bound to leave a negative effect on the squad. It is no wonder that Thierry Henry’s return to the club coincided with the genuine uptrend in fortunes, as the Frenchman remained a big influence both on and off the pitch, but now that he has left the Emirates once again, Arsene Wenger’s men could struggle to compensate for his absence. The good news is that Gervinho is back to the side after the disappointing finish to the Africa Cup of Nations campaign, but Laurent Koscielny has been added to the lengthy injury list.

Conclusion

The Black Cats had an entire week to prepare for the very important FA Cup clash, whereas the Gunners will be in action just three days after the embarrassing defeat to Milan. This should give the hosts an extra edge over their opponents and I believe Sunderland can beat Arsenal to the place in the quarter-finals.

Verdict: Sunderland to qualify

Best Odds: 3/2

Bookmaker: William Hill