Sky Sports analyst Paul Merson has claimed that Sunderland will pose a challenge to Arsenal as they seek to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners moved four points clear at the summit following a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
With Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea all dropping points last weekend, Mikel Arteta’s men are now seen as frontrunners for the title.
However, Merson has highlighted Arsenal’s upcoming trip to the Stadium of Light as a potentially difficult fixture.
He said: “When I saw Arsenal’s fixtures recently, I thought they had such an easy run of games.
“But Sunderland will cause Arsenal problems. They are an athletic team with pace. They are well drilled and organised, and they counter with pace. They also make the right decisions on the counter, picking the right pass. They didn’t waste the ball when they had it.”