Sunderland vs Arsenal: 5 Key Battles

4. Fletcher v Mertesacker

After the opening 3 games last season, Steven Fletcher had made a blistering start, scoring 3 goals in Sunderland's first 3 games. This season however, Fletcher has scored 1 in Sunderland's first 3 games and hasn't been able to make the impact which he made at the start of the season 12 months ago. Nonetheless, Steven Fletcher is always a threat and he definitely will be against slow giant Per Mertesacker who, whilst being an unbelievable aerial presence, seems to have a tendency to be clumsy with the ball at his feet and wouldn't assure me against a poacher like Fletcher. Mertesacker has made an interesting start to the season and after conceding 3 goals in the opening game against Aston Villa, Mertesacker and his defensive partners have shut up shop and have conceded just 1 in their last 4 games. An impressive stat for a defence that was tipped at the start of the season to be shaky. As well as that, Mertesacker will be brimming with confidence after he kept two clean sheets and scored one in Germany's recent internationals. If Steven Fletcher can get the typical poacher's goal he managers to get on a regular basis early on, Sunderland's confidence in the game will only increase. Should Mertesacker keep up his recent form, Arsenal will just need a goal to get another win.