Premier League preview: Arsenal v Sunderland

Arsenal host Sunderland in the English Premier League on Sunday, with both teams hoping for a fresh start following the international break.

An off-season of discontent at the Emirates Stadium was followed one of the worst starts to a campaign in Arsenal’s modern history.

A team shorn of captain Cesc Fabregas and key midfielder Samir Nasri, and missing a host of first-choice players due to injury, has managed just two wins from seven matches played.

The low point came with an 8-2 thrashing away to champions Manchester United, while a calamitous 4-3 defeat to fellow strugglers Blackburn Rovers further undermined the team’s fragile mentality.

The Gunners signed off prior to the round of international fixtures with a 2-1 loss at North London rivals Tottenham.

And although Arsenal have four points from two matches played in the Champions League group stages, a major title this season is surely out of the question.

Manager Arsene Wenger’s brief for 2011/12 already appears damage limitation.

Their opponents on Sunday, Sunderland, have suffered from similar difficulties.

A lone 4-0 victory at home to Stoke aside, Sunderland have drawn three and lost three from their seven matches.

With expectations always sky-high in the north east of England, manager Steve Bruce is already feeling the heat, despite the early stage of the season.

Sunderland came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with visitors West Bromwich Albion last time out, but salvaging draws at home is unlikely to satisfy the demanding patrons at the Stadium of Light.

Both sides have been hampered by injuries and absentees, and the international break has done little to alleviate the strain on the two squads.

Arsenal will be without the services of key men Bacary Sagna and Thomas Vermaelen, while fellow defenders Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci, as well as goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, are all in doubt.

Further forward, midfielders Luke Wilshere and Abou Diaby are both sidelined.

For Sunderland, goalkeeper Craig Gordon and defender Marcos Angeleri are injured.

Fullback Phil Bardsley is suspended, while Titus Bramble has been stood down by the club owing to the centre-back’s arrest on charges of sexual assault and drug possession.

Knee and groin injuries respectively will see strikers Fraizer Campbell and Conor Wickham miss out, and centre-forward Nicolas Bendtner, on loan from Arsenal, is ineligible to play against his parent club.