Aaron Ramsey is on the Arsenal substitutes’ bench at the Stadium of Light along with Olivier Giroud.
Ramsey, out since suffering a hamstring injury against Liverpool on the opening day of the season, has been passed fit to return to the squad, as has Giroud.
But the Gunners are without Theo Walcott, Nacho Monreal and Santi Cazorla, who all failed late fitness tests.
Lucas Perez is out for two months with an ankle injury and Granit Xhaka is suspended.
Sunderland make one change to their starting line-up, with Billy Jones replacing Javier Manquillo.
Adnan Januzaj, fit again after an ankle injury, is on the Black Cats’ bench.
Sebastian Larsson, Vito Mannone, Fabio Borini and Jan Kirchhoff are sidelined, while Lee Cattermole is also out, with a back problem.
History is on Arsenal’s side – they have lost just one of their last 25 Premier League games against Sunderland and are unbeaten in their last 13 matches against them.
Sunderland: Pickford, Jones, Kone, O’Shea, Van Aanholt, Rodwell, Pienaar, Ndong, Khazri, Watmore, Defoe.
Subs: Mika, Djilobodji, Love, Anichebe, Manquillo, Januzaj, Gooch.
Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Iwobi, Sanchez.
Subs: Ospina, Jenkinson, Holding, Gabriel, Maitland-Niles, Ramsey, Giroud.