Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi will return to the Arsenal starting lineup when they take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Arsenal will aim to continue the sensational run of form when they lock horns with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday evening. Mikel Arteta has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.

Martin Zubimendi and Gabriel Jesus have resumed training, with the former ready to return against Sunderland this weekend. However, Jesus will take some to be fit enough to get some minutes after being in the treatment room for nearly a year.

Viktor Gyokeres remains a short-term absentee due to a muscular issue, joining Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz in the treatment room. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta provided fitness updates on Jesus and other players who have been on the sidelines for a long time.

The Arsenal manager said, “I’m thrilled to have him [Jesus]. I think he’s going to add something extra to the team that we don’t have, and make sure that very soon we see him on that pitch making an impact for the team. It’s about making the steps day-by-day in a different surrounding.”

“He’s been doing everything on his own; now he’s got players around him, very competitive players around him, and let’s see how he copes with that. But he’s full of energy, I love the reaction of all his teammates when he first joined us and great to have him back.”

Discussing the other injured players, the Arsenal boss said, “There are a lot of things that have to happen in the next two weeks and everything has to be perfect, but I think we’ll be very close with most of them to be in a really strong position.”

“Let’s see how he [Havertz] absorbs the load first when he starts to train with us and when he’s done that, obviously we’re going to have to be, especially in the first few weeks, keep an eye on him to manage the amount of minutes and when we play him. But when you look at his record and what he’s done in his career, he’s played every single game, he’s almost never been injured and now he has this issue with his knee. But it will be resolved and hopefully he will be back to his best.”

David Raya is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Arsenal lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Sunderland on Saturday. The backline will feature Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Riccardo Calafiori.

As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice in the double pivot. Eberechi Eze will reprise the no. 10 role, with Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka being the two wide attackers. Finally, Mikel Merino will lead the line for the away side against Sunderland this weekend.

Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Merino