Sunderland V Arsenal at Stadium of Light : Match Preview

28 October 2016 21:34
Sunderland V Arsenal - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


David Moyes remains confident he has Sunderland owner Ellis Short's support

Sunderland boss David Moyes is confident he still has the support of owner Ellis Short amid a desperately difficult start to his reign on Wearside.

Moyes heads into Saturday's clash with high-flying Arsenal still awaiting his first Premier League victory as manager and with some fans having already delivered a damning verdict on his tenure just nine games into the campaign.

There is little doubt that the 53-year-old Scot, who signed a four-year contract during the summer, inherited a difficult situation, a fact which has been acknowledged by new chief executive Martin Bain, who along with Moyes has been charged with the task of bringing stability to the Stadium of Light.

Asked if he sensed Short is remaining patient over the situation, the manager replied: "I've never thought anything different. The length of the contract he gave me, his words tell you that."

Moyes freely admits that his task is a tough one, and that it is perhaps tougher now than it was the day he accepted Short's offer of employment.

He said: "It can be different, but I think that happens at clubs. Everywhere you go in, you know sometimes things aren't always the way you might have thought it to be.

"But the one thing that hasn't changed is that we go away to every ground and fill it with our own supporters. We have got nearly 45,000 at the game tomorrow, so the people of Sunderland continue to support their team whether it be home or away, and that tells you about the size of the club.

"It tells you about the club's history, it tells you a lot about the club and the people. No matter what situation they are in, they follow their team."

Only the most loyal of supporters will arrive at the Stadium of Light this weekend expecting Sunderland to avoid a defeat which would see them equal Manchester City's record low points haul of just two after 10 Premier League games.

Moyes knows the odds are heavily stacked against his injury-hit team against a Gunners outfit he believes might sneak under the radar this season.

He said: "There's a lot of talk about Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City. I wouldn't say everybody has forgotten about Arsenal, but maybe this year you might find they are able to come in with a lot more focus on some of the other clubs just now.

"We probably go into the game carrying a little bit less pressure because everybody doesn't expect us to get anything from it, so we can go into it and try to see if we can cause a big upset because people would see it that way."

Arsene Wenger insists there is no bespoke treatment for Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal as the Chilean settles into his role as the club's main striker.

The 27-year-old has been operating centrally for the Gunners for much of the current campaign having previously been seen by Wenger as more of a wide player.

Sanchez has scored six goals so far this season and has looked more and more comfortable as a striker.

He has been substituted in two of Arsenal's last three games and on both occasions, against Swansea and Ludogorets, the former Barcelona forward has looked less than impressed.

But Wenger says Sanchez is just as likely to be rested or replaced as any other member of his squad as he looks to keep all of his players fresh.

"They all recognise it after the game but during the game they want to stay on the pitch," he said when asked about Sanchez's reaction to being substituted.

"I have played football - I was tired and I wanted to stay on the pitch - because you want to play. There is a difference between acknowledging it and wanting to stay on the pitch. You want to play even when you are tired.

"For me he is not a special case. He is a player like everybody else. When I decide to take him off, I take him off.

"There is no special case. He has his own character but he is not treated differently from everybody else."

Wenger, who has lost fellow striker Lucas Perez for up to two months with an ankle injury suffered in Tuesday's EFL Cup win over Reading, believes Sanchez's long-term position is that of a striker after injuries to the likes of Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud saw him given his chance through the middle.

"I see him there because he is the kind of guy, he is provocative," Wenger replied when asked if he saw Sanchez remaining in a central position.

"He has a short technique and can always create something. He has a good mixture between scoring and giving the final ball."


Source: PAR