Change in goal for Sunderland

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy dropped under-fire keeper Kelvin Davis for the visit to Highbury, replacing him with teenager Ben Alnwick for his Barclays Premiership debut.

Davis was booed by a section of the home crowd for his mistakes during Sunderland’s embarrassing 4-1 defeat by Portsmouth last weekend and was duly dropped to the bench.

That was even though 18-year-old Alnwick conceded three goals in Sunderland’s recent Carling Cup defeat to Arsenal’s reserve side, but the Black Cats boss was clearly desperate for a turnaround in his side’s fortunes.

In total, he made six changes from the side beaten by Portsmouth, with Liam Lawrence, Tommy Miller, Andrew Welsh and Stephen Elliott also replaced, while Justin Hoyte, who is on loan from Arsenal, was ineligible.

Arsenal, meanwhile, made three changes to the side that defeated Sparta Prague in midweek, with Jens Lehmann, Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas all returning, while Thierry Henry was fit to continue up front.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Clichy, Reyes, Fabregas, Silva, Pires, Van Persie, Henry. Subs: Almunia, Flamini, Senderos, Bergkamp, Eboue.

Sunderland: Alnwick, Stubbs, Breen, Caldwell, Nosworthy, Whitehead, Murphy, Robinson, Collins, Gray, Stead. Subs: Davis, Elliott, Welsh, Miller, Le Tallec.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)