How Sunderland can deal with Arsenal’s greatest threat ahead of Premier League showdown
Arsenal have scored eight goals from corners in just 10 Premier League games this season, with at least one coming in four of their five away trips.
Sunderland will take on Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, with set-pieces certainly on the agenda for Regis Le Bris.
The Premier League leaders have several absences in the attacking area of the pitch, and may well rely on a corner to find their breakthrough in the game.
Viktor Gyokeres is set to be missing against Sunderland, with Mikel Arteta confirming this week that the striker suffered an injury against Burnley.
Sunderland are expected to stick to a back five against Arsenal, with the Black Cats likely hoping to hit the visitors on the break.
How do Arsenal set up from corners?
The problem that most teams are facing when setting up against Arsenal at corners is that the Gunners are not necessarily deploying any ingenious tactics.
In Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, the North London club have two of the best set-piece takers in all of Europe, capable of delivering into the perfect area time and time again.
And in Gabriel, Arsenal have the defender who is undoubtedly the best in the Premier League in the air, perhaps up there in league history.
That being said, the Gunners usually set up with several players away from the goalkeeper, allowing them to run onto their men, while one player – against Newcastle United, it was Saliba – sticks near the six-yard box.
Once the corner is taken, the runners will surround the goalkeeper, who is usually prevented from getting to the ball by a sea of bodies.
For Arsenal’s last-minute winner at St James’ Park, Saliba placed himself between Nick Pope and Gabriel, stopping the Englishman from intervening as the Brazilian rose highest to head home from close range.
What can Sunderland do to stop Arsenal’s corners?
The answer that Le Bris will not want to hear is that there is no way that Sunderland can guarantee their protection from corners.
All it takes is a perfectly-taken cross from Rice or Saka to fall into the path of one of the towering Arsenal players.
| Premier League 2025-26 | Arsenal | League rank |
| Corners | 73 | 1st |
| Corner goals | 8 | 1st |
| Touches in opposition box | 343 | 1st |
| Expected goals from set-pieces | 7.06 | 1st |
However, there are a few things Le Bris can ask of his team. Manchester City, one of the few teams to stop the Gunners’ corners this season, chose to crowd the six-yard box.
Eight Manchester City players, including the goalkeeper, were situated just yards away from goal as Arsenal swung the corner in, with one or two defenders tasked with keeping Gianluigi Donnarumma protected.
In Robin Roefs, Sunderland have a goalkeeper with the height and the strength to clear his box, but they must make sure the Dutchman has a chance in the first place.
More than anything, however, it will be down to the Black Cats defenders to ensure that they are competing for every cross and getting their head to the ball before their Arsenal counterpart.
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