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A transferência de Felipe Anderson ao Palmeiras, anunciada na segunda-feira (15), segue sendo assunto quente na Lazio. Em entrevista coletiva, o diretor esportivo do clube italiano, Angelo Fabiani, revelou detalhes da negoicação pela renovação do brasileiro, em tentativa frustada de manter o brasileiro na Itália.

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➡️ Quem é que sobe?! Com R$200 no Lance! Betting, você garante R$398 se Palmeiras x Internacional terminar com nove escanteios ou menos

– Ele foi para o Palmeiras e perdeu dinheiro em relação ao que a Lazio lhe ofereceu. Oferecemos cinco anos e um salário significativo, o segundo ou terceiro mais alto do elenco. Felipe Anderson se comportou como homem e com incrível dignidade e profissionalismo – afirmou o diretor da Lazio.

– Fizemos tudo para mantê-lo, mas quando ele se depara com escolhas familiares e territoriais não há nada que possamos fazer. Ele colocou a família no centro do projeto, recentemente teve um filho. Tiramos o chapéu para Anderson, ele é uma pessoa incrível. Ele nunca levantou problemas nem na Lazio nem em outros clubes. Ele é o filho que todos gostariam – completou Fabiani.

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Além das propostas de Palmeiras e Lazio, Felipe Anderson também negociava com a Juventus, maior campeã nacional da Itália. Mesmo assim, o meio-campista preferiu retornar ao Brasil e defender o Verdão, que irá registrá-lo na abertura da próxima janela de transferências, em julho deste ano.

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Heavy afternoon rain had the final say at the Kia Oval as title favourites Surrey were forced to accept a draw against Warwickshire that cuts their lead over Nottinghamshire at the top of the Rothesay County Championship to a single point.Surrey set Warwickshire 390 to win in 76 overs after declaring their second innings on 391 for 8, with Dom Sibley completing his fourth Championship hundred of the season despite batting with a runner due to a groin injury.But Warwickshire had few alarms in initially reaching 60 for 1 from 23 overs before the players were driven from the field at 2.24pm. Play did resume again at 3.50pm, with a potential 36 overs remaining, but hands were shaken 16 overs later with Warwickshire on 105 for 1.Tom Lawes pinned Warwickshire captain Alex Davies leg-before for 31 just before the rains came but, in the end, just too many overs – 114 in all following the loss of almost 75 on day three – were taken out of the game by the weather for a positive result to be possible.It sets up a titanic contest between Surrey and Nottinghamshire next week in their only meeting this season, and on a ground where Surrey have lost only one Championship fixture since April 2022 and the start of their three title-winning summers.Rob Yates remained 34 not out and Will Young, who had top-scored for Warwickshire with 72 in their first innings, was unbeaten on 31.With eight points for the draw, both sides take 11 points from this fixture and that means Surrey, chasing a fourth successive Championship title, have lost ground against Notts – who earlier in the day beat Worcestershire at New Road.Surrey, resuming on 276 for 2, added 115 more runs from 18.5 overs with Sibley – who had retired hurt on 64 before the start of a truncated third day – re-emerging at the fall of the sixth wicket, with his captain Rory Burns acting as his runner, to go to an heroic 103 not out. Sibley even hit successive sixes, flipped and hooked off Olly Hannon-Dalby, for the first time in his first-class career to help to speed Surrey to their declaration.The final day began with Ben Foakes and Dan Lawrence, unbeaten on 41 and 29 respectively overnight, hitting out with abandon in the opening overs. Foakes slammed the second ball of the morning wide of mid-on for four and Lawrence hoisted Michael Booth over long on for six before flipping to fine leg for another boundary.However, after Foakes had hooked Nathan Gilchrist for four to reach his half-century, he fell next ball for 52 attempting another big hit to deep square leg to prompt a clatter of five wickets for 24 runs in eight overs as Warwickshire successfully took the second new ball.Lawrence holed out to deep midwicket for 43 off Booth, who then had both Jordan Clark leg-before for 8 – following a pulled six – and Gus Atkinson brilliantly held on the boundary ropes by Ethan Bamber.Another great catch, this time low to his right by a sprawling Young at backward point, saw the end of Ryan Patel for 10 off Gilchrist but Sibley then strode out to join Lawes in a rollicking stand of 52 for the eighth wicket. Lawes’ useful 19 ended with a spliced catch to cover but there was just enough time for Sibley to go to three figures, with a dabbed reverse seep for two off Yates’ off spin, before Burns’ declaration.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared what’s impressed him most about teenager Andre Harriman-Annous after the Hale End graduate’s senior debut against Brighton on Wednesday.

The Gunners extended their unbeaten run to 11 in all competitions whilst booking a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after their victory over Brighton.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Goals from fellow youngster Ethan Nwaneri and star winger Bukayo Saka handed Arsenal a routine win at the Emirates Stadium, despite summer signing Kepa Arrizabalaga being forced into a string of early saves to deny the Seagulls, who threatened to break through first.

The headlines initially belonged to Max Dowman, after the 15-year-old became Arsenal’s youngest ever starter.

Dowman showed flashes of brilliance on the right-hand side in place of Saka and the injured Noni Madueke, who’s believed to be making “faster-than-expected” progress in his recovery from a knee injury.

However, once the teenager was hauled off Saka, and Harriman-Annouss replaced Declan Rice, attention turned towards the latest in a long queue of star-studded talents from the Hale End production line.

Harriman-Annous, who bagged 18 goals in 37 games for the Under-21s last season, has been a regular in first-team training at London Colney with Arteta taking note.

The England Under-18 international can feel hard done by that he didn’t mark his first senior appearance for the club with a goal too, having watched Jason Steele save his one-v-one effort before Saka dispatched the rebound.

Arteta shares what's impressed him about Harriman-Annous after Arsenal debut

It was a night to remember for Harriman-Annous, with Arteta explaining in a post-match press conference why he finally gave the youngster a chance to shine at N5.

Arsenal’s boss explains that Harriman-Annous has impressed him with a fierce mentality and work ethic behind-the-scenes, with the versatile centre-forward desperate to make an impact.

Arsenal supporters have plenty of reasons to feel excited about Harriman-Annous after his debut against Brighton.

Stepping onto the pitch in a high-stakes cup match is no small feat, and the teen showed glimpses of the potential that has impressed coaches throughout his development.

His composure and confidence stood out. He demonstrated good technical skills and an understanding of the game that belies his age. For a young player making his first senior appearance, showing such calmness under pressure is a promising sign of future growth.

Harriman-Annous made the bench against Liverpool in August, and if he continues to seize his opportunities like he did against Brighton, it’s only a matter of time before he makes his first Premier League outing.

The Blue Jays are one win away from their first trip to the American League championship series since 2016.

After hammering the Yankees 10–1 in Game 1 of the AL division series on Saturday, the Blue Jays were back at it on Sunday, racing to a 12–0 lead before holding on for a 13–7 win. Toronto’s bats were a big part of the story in Game 2, but rookie righty Trey Yesavage stole headlines with an incredible performance on the mound.

The Yankees failed to show up in either game north of the border and now find themselves with their backs against the wall, trailing 2–0 in the best-of-five series. Here’s a look at three takeaways from Toronto's big win on Sunday.

The Blue Jays Aren’t Intimidated

Toronto came out firing in Game 1, and that continued in Game 2. A 10–1 victory on Saturday led to a 13-run outburst that included a 12–0 lead by the fifth inning. The Blue Jays are not scared of what the Yankees have thrown at them, even with Bo Bichette sidelined.

After scoring eight runs on New York’s bullpen in Game 1, Toronto lit up Yankees ace Max Fried, scoring seven runs on eight hits in three-plus innings. Perhaps most importantly, the Blue Jays’ big bats came to play. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a monster grand slam to drive in four. Daulton Varsho had two bombs, George Springer also went deep and Alejandro Kirk drove in a run after hitting two home runs in Game 1.

The Blue Jays had one of MLB’s best offenses all season. Even with Bichette watching from the dugout, Toronto hasn’t missed a beat.

Trey Yesavage Earned His Spot

A lot was made about Toronto’s decision to give top prospect Trey Yesavage the start in a critical spot on Sunday. It turned out to be a phenomenal call. The rookie righty showed he’s the team’s top prospect for a reason.

In 5 1/3 electric, shutout innings, Yesavage held the Yankees without a hit, walked one and struck out 11, which was a Blue Jays postseason record. He sat in the mid-90s and garnered a ridiculous 18 whiffs, 11 of which came on his devastating splitter. He was excellent all afternoon and fed off the raucous crowd at Rogers Centre.

The 22-year-old is Toronto’s No. 1 prospect, and MLB Pipeline ranks him at No. 26 overall. The 20th pick in the 2024 MLB draft, Yesavage rose quickly through the minor league ranks this season, earning a call-up in mid-September after 25 outings.

Yesavage went 1–0 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in three big league starts before the playoffs. He struck out 16 and walked seven in 14 innings. It was a gamble to give him a start in such a big spot, but he stepped into the spotlight and owned the moment.

Toronto’s starting rotation ranked 23rd in baseball with just 8.5 fWAR, and it was 24th in FIP (4.46), so there was plenty of room to add another piece. Yesavage is an elite talent that elevates the rotation when he’s locked in. He’s earned that rotation spot after Sunday’s immaculate performance.

It’s Getting Late Early for the Yankees

The Yankees entered the 2025 season looking to finish what they started in 2024 when they fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. They got past the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card round after losing Game 1 and winning the next two, but now find themselves on the brink again.

In two games against Toronto, New York has been outscored 23–8. At one point, it was 22–1 before the Yankees got two runs in the sixth inning on Sunday, then followed that with five more in the seventh. That only came against the back of the Blue Jays’ bullpen after the Yanks dug themselves an insurmountable deficit.

New York’s staff has allowed 23 runs in 16 innings so far in this series, which works out to a brutal ERA of 12.94. Part of that has been Toronto’s relentless offense, but it’s also the Yankees’ pitchers not executing. The franchise didn’t give Fried $218 million to watch him allow seven runs in three-plus innings during a key playoff game. The lefty delivered 6 1/3 shutout innings in Game 1 of the wild-card series but now has a 9.64 ERA in his last five playoff starts dating back to 2022.

Now the series heads to Yankee Stadium, where Carlos Rodón will face Shane Bieber on Tuesday night. The 32-year-old lefty allowed three runs in six innings against the Red Sox in Game 2 of the wild-card series, so he’s already pitched in an elimination game this postseason.

Rodon will need to be at his best because the Yankees already find themselves on the verge of a very long vacation.

Quinton de Kock’s ODI retirement U-turn has South Africa captain Temba Bavuma excited, but he said that the wicketkeeper-batter might not get an “easy pass” into the XI, with the team loaded with in-form batters who have helped them win ODI series in Australia and England over the last few months.”I’m a little bit biased when it comes to Quinton. I grew up playing with Quinton from school cricket. So the fact that he is back, I’m as excited as a lot of fans out there,” Bavuma said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai on Tuesday. “I think there’s quite a lot of batters, young batters especially, who have put up their names. So he is obviously going to have to do what he needs to do from a run-scoring point of view.”I don’t think he is oblivious to that. It’s not the case that he is getting an easy pass into the team. But I think it’s a case of, from where he has been in the abyss, per se, watching into the team, he wants to be a part of what has been created within the team.”Related

• Bavuma out of Test series against Pakistan with calf strain

• De Kock reverses ODI retirement

• De Kock is back on his own with 'no strings attached'

Bavuma also revealed that de Kock had started hinting at wanting to reverse his ODI retirement as early as January. In de Kock’s absence, two left-hand wicketkeeper-batters – in Ryan Rickelton and Lhuan-dre Pretorius – have staked their claim for spots in South Africa’s XI. Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis have also been impressive, in addition to the more seasoned batters like Bavuma himself and Aiden Markram.”I chatted to him earlier this year, in January, just before we were going to the Champions Trophy. And there he started kind of throwing out the fact that he would like to be available. Before he went and spoke to Shukri [Conrad, South Africa head coach], he spoke to me. He made it clear that that’s what he would like to do. And we will support him.”Quinton is one of the good guys within the system, a super-talented player. So if it’s the Quinton who batted in the 2023 50-over World Cup, I don’t think anyone would say no to that.”South Africa will begin their World Test Championship defence in Pakistan•ICC/Getty Images

At the 2023 World Cup, de Kock scored 594 runs from ten innings, at a strike rate of 107.02, and finished as the third-highest run-scorer, helping South Africa reach the semi-finals.Apart from South Africa’s lead-up to a home ODI World Cup in 2027, Bavuma will also have to oversee their defence of the World Test Championship title, beginning with a two-Test series in Pakistan starting October 12. Bavuma will not be part of that series as he is recovering from a calf strain but he sounded positive about South Africa’s chances.”Pakistan selected five spinners into their squad, so that really shows you what type of conditions the guys will be faced with there,” Bavuma said. “Guys are back home now, busy with their preparation. So we’ll leave no stone unturned. We’ve been to Pakistan before. The Champions Trophy – yes, those were good wickets. But we are familiar with the place.”After that will be India. There’s Sri Lanka as well. So there’s a lot more of the subcontinent tours that we’re going to have to overcome the challenge. And then something a little bit more familiar back home with Australia and England. But then again, those are strong teams.”South Africa faced criticism from some quarters about getting favourable fixtures in the previous cycle, but Bavuma was adamant that they didn’t want to shy away from playing the best teams.”I know in the previous cycle, there was criticism around our route into the final, supposedly playing the weaker nations,” Bavuma said. “That’s not the case now. I think for us as players, we look at it with a lot of optimism. Firstly, as a competitor, as an international player, you can test yourself against the best players. And obviously from a team point of view, we keep going and achieving what we want to achieve.”

Manchester United are in the market for reinforcements, and INEOS may now use their negotiation powers to bring a talented midfielder through the door at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim will be the first to acknowledge that his side are a work in progress at this moment in time. However, they are now five matches unbeaten in the Premier League after their draw at Tottenham Hotspur yesterday.

From the jaws of defeat, Matthijs De Ligt secured a deserved point for Manchester United in injury time to cap off an enthralling encounter. However, the Red Devils’ Portuguese boss did confirm that Benjamin Sesko could be absent for a period after being hauled off due to an injury.

He stated post-match: “It’s the knee, and we never know. Right now, I’m not thinking about form or selection. I’m more concerned about the injury because it’s in the knee, and I don’t know how serious it is.”

Either way, a minor blot on a credible day at the office won’t distract Manchester United fans from the fact that their side appear to be headed in the right direction, finally, something that is bound to appeal when aiming to secure signings in January.

Looking towards the future, Hertha Berlin youngster Kennet Eichhorn is someone the Red Devils are keen to land, potentially filling a hole in the engine room long-term if they can see off Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona to land his signature.

La Liga is also a market Manchester United are looking to exploit by signing Barcelona winger Raphinha if they secure Champions League qualification.

Nevertheless, he could cost over £100 million. In contrast, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have eyes on a target based in Spain that could arrive in a financially advantageous deal.

Man Utd could land Valencia star Javi Guerra in cheap deal

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United could land Valencia star Javi Guerra for £21.9 million if they can see off competition from both Atletico Madrid and AC Milan for his signature.

The Spain Under-21 international has a release clause valued at £87.8 million, creating a scenario where he could end up at Old Trafford for up to £65 million less than his asking price.

Five similar players to Javi Guerra (FBRef)

Hicham Boudaoui

Nice

Sergi Darder

Mallorca

Oscar Mingueza

Celta Vigo

Sandi Lovric

Udinese

Luis Rioja

Valencia

Starting the campaign off, he has registered two assists in 12 appearances across all competitions for Valencia. However, they view a cut-price sale as an ideal solution for all parties due to what they believe is a drop in form from Guerra over recent months.

No longer guaranteed a starting spot, Carlos Corberan could offload the Valencia-born man, and the January window is set to become a defining point when determining his future.

Man Utd could also sign a proven striker for a bargain figure

It is an open secret that Manchester United want new midfielders, especially with Casemiro coming towards the end of his career, and Guerra could be a cost-effective solution for Amorim should he enter the market in mid-season.

Sheffield Wednesday’s joint administrator has confirmed there are “already four or five interested parties that look like the real deal” as the club head toward new ownership.

The Owls, bottom of the Sky Bet Championship, went into administration on Friday and have been handed a 12-point deduction by the English Football League.

The EFL is also currently investigating further breaches of its financial regulations and has not ruled out another points deduction this season, the PA news agency understands.

Sheffield Wednesday administrator reveals buyers and criteria

Kris Wigfield, joint administrator with insolvency firm Begbies Traynor, told BBC Five Live’s Wake Up to Money programme that new owners could be in place by the end of the year.

Wigfield said: “As always, you get a lot of interested parties that probably aren’t going to meet the criteria, but within the numerous inquiries we’ve had, we certainly think that there are already four or five interested parties that look like the real deal.

“There are two criteria that new owners basically need to satisfy to then open dialogue and there to be an opportunity where they can make an offer.

“The first thing is they need to show the administrators that they could make the football club viable. So they’ve got to show that they’ve got sufficient funds to be able to fund it for the next few years.

“And secondly, we have to be satisfied that they will pass the EFL fit and proper persons test, and if they can satisfy both of those, then we’ll start talking to them seriously.”

Wigfield, a Wednesday season ticket holder since 1984, said that under EFL rules the club have to stay on the market for 28 days, adding: “I’m hopeful that by the end of November, if things go well, we might know who’s going to buy the football club.”

Wednesday’s financial problems under former owner Dejphon Chansiri, who bought the club in 2015, reached crisis point in the summer and they were placed under various embargoes amid tax debts and failing to pay players and staff on time.

The club were bottom of the Sky Bet Championship even before going into administration, with just one league win this season, and are now on minus six points, 16 from safety.

A tough battle to avoid relegation now appears to be nigh on impossible but it is understood the EFL does not think a possible further points sanction would deter potential new owners as it would also be applied this season.

PA also understands that the government’s new Independent Football Regulator, due to formally take office this autumn, is shadowing the EFL throughout Wednesday’s administration process.

حدد اتحاد الكرة، مواعيد المباريات المؤجلة من دور الـ 32 من بطولة كأس مصر الموسم الجاري 2025-2026.

وشهدت المباريات تحديد موعد مباراة الزمالك، حامل اللقب أمام بلدية المحلة ضمن منافسات دور الـ32 حيث أوقعتهما القرعة.

طالع.. أحمد عبد الرؤوف: واجهنا كهرباء الإسماعيلية في ظروف صعبة.. وهذه حقيقة أزمة بيزيرا

وكان الزمالك، قد توج بالنسخة الماضية من بطولة كأس مصر بعد الفوز على بيراميدز في المباراة النهائية بركلات الترجيح.

وأخطر الاتحاد، الأندية المشاركة في المباريات المؤجلة من دور الـ32 والفرق المتأهلة إلى دور الستة عشر بالمواعيد المقررة. موعد مباراة الزمالك وبلدية المحلة في كأس مصر

ويلتقي الزمالك مع بلدية المحلة في دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس مصر السبت 27 ديسمبر  الساعة 2 والنصف ظهرًا بتوقيت القاهرة.

England have not savoured World Cup glory since 1966, but Wes Brown has exclusively told GOAL – ahead of the group stage draw for the 2026 event – that “nobody will want to play” the Three Lions when chasing down a global crown. Thomas Tuchel’s side will head to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer sat among the favourites to go all the way.

Faultless Three Lions: England qualified in style

They made serene progress through qualification, with maximum points being taken from eight fixtures. England scored 22 goals across those outings, while conceding none. A winning formula has clearly been found, with the promise of more to come.

Tuchel has made it clear that he will not be bowing to pressure when it comes to big selection calls, with the former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain boss prepared to make unpopular decisions if required.

He has enough talent at his disposal to suggest that whoever earns seats on the plane, they will be there or thereabouts when the most prestigious of prizes is handed out. The Three Lions have made back-to-back European Championship finals – coming unstuck against Italy and Spain – while reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

AdvertisementFear factor: England should have rivals running scared

Sir Gareth Southgate oversaw an era of near misses, with thenhot seat now being filled by no-nonsense German tactician Tuchel. He has won Ligue 1, the Champions League and Club World Cup as a coach.

With the likes of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Marcus Rashford raring to go, there is every reason to believe that Tuchel can be the man to bring 60 years of hurt to a close.

Quizzed on whether England should fear nobody, ex-Three Lions defender Brown – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “I think we are one of the teams to fear. The only thing I would say is, we have been so close now that it’s like, we know we can but we just get to that end bit… Regardless of how we get there, we know we can. People say ‘look who we played’ or ‘these are much better’, but that’s not the point because we still got there, getting the wins in.

“You look at the quality of the squad, it doesn’t matter about age now, these are established players that have no fear. They know what they need to do, they know what the set-up is. We know we can do it because we have been there before, we have nearly done it, it’s just that extra step. Regardless of the manager changing, I still feel like there is that bond in the squad which is excellent. You can see a nice buzz going around.

“The variation of different personnel is up there. You might need somebody to come on and change something in a certain way. Have we got that? I think we have. Take all that away, I think the experience they have as a group, the majority of them, they will understand that they can do it. It just takes that little bit more when we get to that next stage, when you get to the point where ‘this is it’. Can we? A lot of the players have done that, experienced it, and now you have got to believe and stay together and try to get it done. It’s going to be hard again – look at all the teams and the quality in there – but believe me, nobody will want to play England.”

Getty Images

Underdogs tag: Tuchel tries to calm expectations

Tuchel has been doing his best to calm expectations, saying of England’s current standing: “We will arrive as underdogs in the World Cup because we haven't won it for decades, and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time, so we need to arrive as a team otherwise we have no chance.

“If you've never won Wimbledon, you may be one of the favourites but you are not the favourite. You can go and if you come close, OK, you are within the pool, but you are not the favourite. It is just how it is. There is Brazil, there is Argentina, Spain, France and they just did it recently. It doesn't mean we have no chance and we know very well.”

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Getty ImagesWorld Cup draw: When & where does it take place?

England, along with their fellow World Cup hopefuls, will discover who they are set to face in the group stage when the draw for that part of the competition is made on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

Como manager and ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas has now heaped praise on Mikel Arteta following a key Gunners tactical tweak.

The Premier League frontrunners take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later today, pitting Arteta’s side against the surprise package of the season.

Arsenal arrive on Wearside in utterly imperious form. The north Londoners have won their last 10 matches across all competitions, with eight consecutive victories without conceding a single goal.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

They’re aiming to win five successive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since 1987, while their run of eight clean sheets in all competitions matches a club record set way back in 1903.

It’s been nearly 13 hours of football since anyone has scored against them, which is quite simply unbelievable, and they of course boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues as a result.

That being said, Regis Le Bris’ side pose a tough challenge. Sunderland enter this game having defied all pre-season expectations spectacularly. They’ve accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures – the most any promoted side has managed at this stage since Hull City’s 20 points in 2008-09.

Their remarkable home form has been key, remaining unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this campaign.

Arsenal are still favourites to win this one, though, following their imperious start to the season — which is made all the more impressive by their mountain of attacking injuries.

Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard are all unavailable with knee or muscular problems — even if Jesus returned to training this week — Meanwhile, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been ruled out with a potential hamstring injury until after the international break.

This leaves Arteta pretty short of forward options, with Mikel Merino likely to continue in an emergency striker role.

Merino’s second-half brace secured a 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague in midweek, adding to his very impressive tally of 11 goals in all competitions for Arsenal this calendar year.

The midfielder has been nothing short of inspirational when called upon to play an unfamiliar role by Arteta, and Fabregas is certainly impressed by the former Real Sociedad star.

Fabregas praises "great move" by Arteta to play Merino as Arsenal striker

Speaking in an interview with Calciomercato this week, Fabregas stated it was a “great move” by Arteta to play Merino as a striker once again in the absence of Gyokeres — claiming he’s done very well in the role.

Merino had never played striker before featuring there for the first time against Leicester City back in February, where he scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory after replacing the injured Kai Havertz.

Since then, he’s excelled in the position.

The midfielder has netted an astonishing 19 goals for club and country combined in 2025, including his midweek brace against Slavia Prague that also took his Arsenal tally to three headed goals this season. His 6 foot 2 frame makes him a major aerial threat inside the area, while on the deck he’s incredibly strong, using his muscular frame to dominate physical 50-50s.