Premier League

Sunderland return to Premier League action on Saturday evening as they welcome reigning champions Arsenal to the Stadium of Light (8pm). The Black Cats will be looking to continue their encouraging start to the new campaign after collecting four points from their opening three league fixtures and progressing in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Sunderland left west London with a fully-deserved point, and the draw at Brentford felt like another useful marker of how far the Lads come over the past 12 months. Enzo Le Fée’s late penalty cancelled out Vitaly Janelt’s second-half opener, but the scoreline could so easily have been very different.

There are few things quite as capable of changing the mood around a football club as transfer deadline day, when weeks of careful planning, speculation and frustration can suddenly be transformed by a flurry of late-night phone calls, medicals and transfer announcements.

Following last season’s struggles against Fulham, with the Cottagers completing the double over Sunderland, the Black Cats’ first home game of the new campaign was never going to be an easy task. I don’t think any fan went into the game expecting an end-to-end, seven-goal thriller with chances galore.

Sunderland return to the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon as they welcome Fulham in their first home Premier League fixture of the season (2pm). The Black Cats will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road, having seen a late Jack Clarke goal settle a tight contest.

Now that the dust is beginning to settle on Sunderland’s 2-1 opening-day defeat at Portman Road, there is plenty to unpick from what was ultimately a hugely frustrating afternoon in Suffolk. The defeat feels all the more disappointing because Sunderland were more than capable of leaving Ipswich with at least a point.

Sunderland kick off their Premier League season on Saturday with a trip to Portman Road to face newly promoted Ipswich Town (3pm). The Lads travel to big-spending Ipswich having enjoyed a strong pre-season, signing off their preparations with victories over Lens and Rennes. Sunderland fans will be hoping that good work continues in Suffolk.

Sunderland's Premier League fixtures against Bournemouth and Leeds United in October have been selected for live broadcast on Sky Sports, with new kick-off times now confirmed.