Sunderland 0-0 Arsenal: Barclays Premier League - as it happened

Full-time: Sunderland 0-0 Arsenal

All over at the Stadium of Light and neither side really knows what to make of that result. It does, at least, move Sunderland outside the relegation zone.

For Arsenal, they are now five points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United, although they have played an extra game.

Four minutes of added time to be played.

Alexis lets fly from distance but Mannone is able to get down to push the ball wide of the posts. In truth, the Chilean has been miles short of his brilliant best this afternoon.

Sam Allardyce is urging his players to push up the pitch, away from their own goal, as they are inviting pressure on themselves. There are lots of nervous supporters at the Stadium of Light. Everyone is aware how big these next few minutes could be.

Five minutes left now - just enough time for a Sunderland player to make themselves a hero. Will anyone step forward?

A huge moment Arsenal and England fans now. Jack Wilshere has just put his shirt on and is preparing for his introduction. A downbeat-looking Mesut Ozil is the man to make way.

A long ball goes flying over the top of the Sunderland defence and Mannone gets to it fractionally before Danny Welbeck and just gets a little nick on the ball. A narrow escape for the hosts.

Another Sunderland switch is imminent. I wonder if Sam Allardyce would accept a point if he was offered it now? Anyway, Seb Larsson replaces Jan Kirchhoff.

Sunderland are making a switch of their own...

Arsene Wenger has seen enough of this. He makes a double switch, with Welbeck and Walcott both being introduced. Giroud and Iwobi make way.

The Mackems spurn another golden chance to open the scoring! This time, Defoe and Borini have a two-on-one situation, only for the former England man to missplace his pass at the critical moment.

From the subsequent corner, the ball flashes across the face of the six-yard box - no-one can get on the end of it, though.

Sunderland are on top for the time being, hustling Arsenal into mistake after mistake. The Stadium of Light crowd are certainly enthused by what they are watching at the moment.

Jermain Defoe goes close once again. The former England man latches on to a through-pass, and he looks to lob Cech from distance. Unfortunately for Defoe, his instinctive effort goes just wide of the post.

An hour gone and still no change of a change from Arsene Wenger. Remember, he has the likes of Welbeck and Walcott on the bench.

Arsenal launch their first meaningful attack of the half now. Giroud crosses the ball towards Alex Iwobi but the youngster - who is about ten yards from goal - gets it all wrong. He should have done better from such a good position.

A minute later, and Cech is the Gunners' hero again - this time he stops Khazri's effort from outside the box. Sunderland have started the second half on the front foot.

Petr Cech comes to Arsenal's rescue, saving an impressive volley from Jermain Defoe and then getting back to his feet to push the follow-up effort around the post.

Hector Berllerin goes into the book for a late tackle. He'll need to watch his step for the next 40-odd minutes now.

We're back under way. No changes from either side at the break.

Half-time: Sunderland 0-0 Arsenal

So, we go into the break without there being any goals, but the game really came to life in the last 20 minutes of the half following Patrick van Aanholt's spectacular effort.

The next 45 minutes could be crucial in Sunderland's history...

One minute of added time to be played.

Giroud lays the ball back to Iwobi, but the midfielder's effort is expertly blocked by Sunderland's defence. Arsenal still can't find a way through.

The ball actually struck DeAndre Yedlin's arm, but it bounced up off his knee, meaning a penalty would have been incredible harsh.

We're five minutes from half-time and despite it still being goalless, this match is bubbling up nicely. Arsenal are in control for the most part, but Sunderland are posing a threat on the break.

Sam Allardyce will be pretty content with how things stand, I fancy.

A huge moment of controversy at the Stadium of Light, as a goal-bound effort from Jermain Defoe is block by the arm of Per Mertesacker. Was it deliberate? The replay is inconclusive.

Either way, the ref had no doubts - he rejects the penalty appeals.

Alexis almost breaks the deadlock with a well-directed freekick from distance. But Mannone gets down to his right side to clear the ball.

Arsenal are awarded a corner and after a monumental scrap in the middle of the six-yard box, Sunderland manage to hack the ball clear. The hosts survive - but only just.

Half an hour gone, and still Arsenal aren't being penetrative enough in the final third. There's been plenty of neat passing, as you'd expect, but they need to pose more of a threat than the occasional effort from distance provides.

Alexcis Sanchez has been on the fringes of this game so far, much to the relief of Sunderland fans. The Chilean star was sensational in Arsenal's midweek win against WBA, but is barely a footnote in this match at the moment.

Sunderland are certainly coming into this game more and more after that unconvincing start. For all of their early dominance, Arsenal don't have a goal to show for it, which will frustrate Arsene Wenger.

Oh! Sunderland go desperately close to opening the scoring through Patrick van Aanholt, whose spectacular-looking freekick from 25 yards rebounds off the post. That would have been some goal.

Arsenal continue to dominant the ball and look to have more of a cutting-edge to their play. But the hosts have survived the opening 20 minutes without there being too many scares.

The latest Arsenal effort is a rather tame one from midfielder Mohamed Elneny, who joined the club in January and has been making a decent impression in recent weeks. Not on this occasion, though.

The first semi-opening of the game for the hosts comes from a defensive error from the Gunners, which allows Khazri to dribble towards the goal and his deflected effort flashes wide.

From the resulting corner, Lee Cattermole hits a powerful shot from distance, but it goes the wrong side of the post from a Mackems viewpoint.

Arsenal have had more than 70 percent of the ball, such has been their dominance. Sunderland have not come out at 100mph, as the Gunners might have anticipated.

Despite not creating any guilt-edge chances in the opening ten minutes, Arsenal look dangerous when in possession of the ball, because of the pace and movement in their ranks.

The goal-shy Olivier Giroud has an effort blocked and from the resulting corner, Per Mertesacker heads straight at the keeper.

Moments later, Jermain Defoe tries to get on the end of a long ball, but he is just beaten to the punch by Petr Cech, who punches it to safety. The game is pretty open in the first few minutes.

The first meaningful effort of the game comes from the increasingly-impressive Alex Iwobi, who shows quick feet to get past a Sunderland defender and then lashes the ball just wide of the post. An encouraging start from the youngster, though.

We're under way at the Stadium of Light. The hosts are decked in their traditional colours, while Arsenal are wearing their snazzy-looking away number. Here we go...

The sun is out at the Stadium of Light and we're moments away from kick-off. Sam Allardyce's side are seeking an upset win that could help them to avoid relegation to the Championship.

Sam Allardyce, speaking to Sky Sports: "It's what we do in possession today as well as defending very well. How well we use the ball will determine whether we can get a result.

"When you play one of the big boys chances become few and far between and you have to take them. We have to try and win but if not at least pick up a point.

"Getting out of the bottom three today would be a massive boost. We should have done it before today, but if we beat Arsenal it will be our biggest win of the season."

Arsenal put on a bit of a show against West Brom in the week, with Alexis Sanchez producing a particularly eye-catching performance. The Chilean will be hoping to replicate that today.

How does Sam Allardyce intend to shut him down? We'll find out in around 15 minutes or so...

Another man who will hope to prove a point this afternoon is Jack Wilshere, who faces a race against time to make it into Roy Hodgson's squad for this summer's Euros.

The midfielder may get an opportunity from the bench this afternoon, especially if the result of the game is apparent quite early on.

Meanwhile, Wenger has revealed that he is bemused over the fact Mesut Ozil is not in the PFA Team of the Year.

"It's a surprise for me," Wenger told Arsenal's official website. "I cannot explain it, because it's the players who vote. I don't know why they did not pick him.

"Yeah [he deserves to be in the team]. When you are top of the assists, usually that's a sign of quality that should get you a place in a top team."

The German may feel he has a point to prove this afternoon...

Ahead of today's game, Thierry Henry has been offering transfer advice to Arsene Wenger. Indeed, he has been urged to sign Leicester City star N'Golo Kante by the Gunners legend.

"It looks like Arsenal can and should finish in the top four, but there is something to look forward to, and that's next season," Henry has said.

"If [Alexis] Sanchez can perform the way he's performing at the minute, and we have Mesut Ozil carrying on giving the assists he's been giving since the start of the season, then you can think if you have that striker who can score in that moment - maybe N'Golo Kante [as well], we have lots of names we can throw around.

"Mahrez was also linked, but it's going to be a very busy summer for Arsene because you need to get that excitement back and the fans to look forward to something for next season."

Arsene Wenger has admitted that he is unsure whether Theo Walcott would remain at Arsenal beyond the summer transfer window.

The England man has seen his role limited at the Emirates and lack of playing time has raised concerns over his future at the club.

"I don't know yet," Wenger told Sky Sports when he was asked whether Walcott could leave Arsenal in the summer.

"I'm not in transfer mode at the moment, but I think he has gone through a bad spell. He has responded very well, because he said: 'Okay, I will work harder and more'. Even when he comes on now, you see he is motivated and focused. Let's see how well he finishes the season now," he said.

The likes of Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott may be frustrated to find themselves on the bench yet again. The England duo have been on the fringes of the action in recent times, and to be frank, it's not as though Olivier Giroud has been in great form, either.

Arsenal have a great record at the Stadium of Light. The Gunners are, in fact, unbeaten in their last five Premier League trips to Sunderland, winning the last four in a row.

Just as a reminder, Sunderland can move out the relegation zone today with a win or a draw against the Gunners. The game has been added some extra spice though, by Newcastle drawing with Liverpool at Anfield.

Things are so congested at the foot of the table that every goal is crucial between now and the end of the season.

So, no changes for the hosts after their win against Norwich City last week. For the Gunners, meanwhile, the headline news is the return of the injury-plagued Jack Wilshere, who is named on the Arsenal bench.

Breaking team news:

Breaking team news:

Sunderland: Mannone, Yedlin, van Aanholt, Kaboul, Kone, Kirchhoff, M'Vila, Cattermole, Borini, Khazri, Defoe

Subs: Pickford, Jones, Larsson, Rodwell, N'Doye, O'Shea, Watmore

The team news should be with us in the next few moments. The gates are open at the Stadium of Light and the fans are beginning to make their way inside the ground. Kick-off is about an hour away.

On the other hand, Jack Wilshere is much closer to making a return to the first-team after three outings with the reserve side to build match fitness.

Speaking a few days ago, Wenger said: "At the moment I do not know if I will take him [Wilshere] on Sunday or not. Should I take him, you cannot plan that he will play a part in the game.

"He made a big improvement in the third [under-21s] game. In the first two he was alright, but in the third he found his burst back, the little change of pace. If I don't take him this weekend, I will take him [in the squad] the weekend after, certainly."

Arsenal duo Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be out for the season due to the duo's lack of match fitness after spending a considerable amount of time on the sidelines.

"They are not ready yet and I haven't decided yet, but there are not many games left. We still have games in the under-21s, I can put them in the play-off games [if they are available]," Arsene Wenger said ahead of their visit to Sunderland on Sunday (24 April), as quoted on Arsenal's official site.

Prior to today's game, Arsene Wenger has also been speaking about his plans for the next campaign.

The Frenchman reiterated the importance of Arsenal finishing in the top three in the Premier League this season, which will ensure direct qualification to the group stages of the Champions League.

"Top four is not Champions League. Top three, yes. That's why it is important. What has changed is just because we want to play against the top teams and we want to be in the Champions League," Wenger said, as quoted by the Mirror.

"What has changed over the years is that the impact of the finances in the CL is not as big any more. For a period in the past the money was vital for us. But the sporting impact, the planning of the next season, of course it changes completely," the French manager explained.

What the managers say

Arsene Wenger: "Between Thursday and Sunday and Wednesday and Saturday morning is exactly the same. We played on Wednesday at Barcelona and then on Saturday against Everton at 12.45pm. It's no problem.

"There's a very interesting study that has come out from Uefa that shows that the points taken by the teams three days later are not less than after four or five days. The study has been made in all the five best leagues in Europe.

"Nobody has proven that it is a disadvantage to have only three days' rest. The points on average are better than after four or five days."

What the managers say

Sam Allardyce: "Arsene is going to be there until – the very least – 2017, because that's when his contract runs out. Whether he or the board decide it's time to move on will depend on his last season – he's going to be in the Champions League again by the looks of it.

"He will be hurting badly, I think, knowing this season was his best chance to win the Premier League again. Rightly, he's sticking up for himself and his players. Deep down, I think they all know it was their chance to have the crown jewels in terms of the Premier League this season.

"But I think it would be very dangerous to change Arsene Wenger. Who's available and who do you get? It won't be Jose Mourinho, will it, because of the Chelsea-Arsenal thing?"

Preview

Arsene Wenger has come under massive pressure for his failure to rally his troops to a title triumph.

The Gunners come into the game on the back of a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion, which has given them some hope to end their season in the top three.

Preview

Sunderland come into the fixture after beaten Norwich 3-0 and know that a draw here will take them to 17th spot joint on points with the Canaries.

Sam Allardyce will be buoyant of his chances against the Gunners, having had success against them during his time in Bolton and West Ham.

Good afternoon and welcome to IBTimes UK's coverage of this pivotal Premier League clash for both ends of the table at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland are desperate for a win in front of their own fans to aid their bid to stave off relegation from the Premier League.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are seeking another three points to boost their hopes of Champions League qualification and to ease some of the pressure that has recently built up on manager Arsene Wenger.

We'll have plenty of pre-match build-up coming your way, plus the all-important team news in the next little while...