Aaron Ramsey is set for his long-awaited Arsenal comeback after being named on the bench for the game at Sunderland.
Ramsey, 25, has not played since injuring a hamstring in the opening weekend defeat to Liverpool.
He returned to full training earlier this week and despite missing the EFL Cup win over Reading on Tuesday night, he returns at the Stadium of Light.
Arsenal will go top of the table if they inflict defeat on relegation-threatened Sunderland.
Nacho Monreal and Theo Walcott miss out on the action through injury, with Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming into the line-up.
Olivier Giroud is again forced to wait for his first start of the season.
The Frenchman is fully fit but takes his place on the bench alongside Ramsey.
In pictures - Arsenal training:
Alexis Sanchez leads the line for the Gunners, with Mesut Ozil, Alex Iwobi and Oxlade-Chamberlain supporting.
Meanwhile for Sunderland, Adnan Januzaj returns to the bench after a lay-off with an ankle problem.
Teams in full
Sunderland: Pickford, Jones, Kone, O’Shea, Van Aanholt, Watmore, Rodwell, Ndong, Pienaar, Khazri, Defoe
Subs: Djilobodji, Mika, Manquillo, Love, Anichebe, Januzaj, Gooch
Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs, Elneny, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Iwobi, Sanchez
Subs: Gabriel, Ramsey, Giroud, Ospina, Holding, Jenkinson, Maitland-Niles