The experienced French defender has hit the ground running since coming into the team in place of the injured Thomas Vermaelen. So far he has had the luxury of the home comforts of the Emirates, it will be his first start away from home in the Arsenal colours and I am interested to know how he copes with the likes of Darren Bent

I write this on Friday evening, still searching for a way to get back down from cloud nine after the treat that was served up against Sporting Braga on Wednesday evening. The trouble is, I cannot find a ladder or any sort of way down back to earth.

The truth is, I do not really want to be sensible and level headed, I cannot help but enjoy feeling that we are fantastic and that we could well be the best team in the league this year. I have enough years behind me to tell me that titles, trophies or anything else are not won in September but if they were then we would be prime candidates.

Defeat at Sunderland this afternoon would certainly be a way of getting me down from cloud nine but as we know that would be rather painful and a scenario that we all hope doesn’t happen come the full time whistle at the stadium of light.

Away trips after Champions League games have been a problem for Arsene’s young troops in the past, both mentally and or physically the players have failed to produce the necessary standard to win points at crucial times. The signs of growth and maturity this time round have been very encouraging, but as we know it is early days. It was the International break that threw the spanner in Arsenal’s works when the two teams met at the same venue last season.

Even though Arsenal lost the game and were below par, the Gunners were still by far the dominant team and on another day could and should have come away with the points but chances were spurned and not enough was done on the day before Bent pounced on some fortune and won the game for the Black cats.

There are some similarities in this fixture as there was when the sides met last November. The International break has been replaced with the Champions League and Robin Van Persie was unavailable last time, which will hardly be a surprise to many. Eduardo was the player to come in and do a job for the team, he didn’t quite manage it.

In 2010/2011 we have Marouane Chamakh, a player who has taken to Arsenal as a baby would to crying. He was simply born to do it. We desperately missed Van Persie’s super link up play last season and although Chamakh isn’t as flamboyant as the Dutchman, his movement and selflessness has made a big impact on our season so far.

We know Chamakh will start the game, the trouble is, working out the rest of the team isn’t so simple.

Even with an injury list consisting of Van Persie, Bendtner, Walcott, Diaby, Vermaelen and Ramsey we have several options. Wenger will want to keep much of the team together that dismantled Sporting Braga for confidence and continuity purposes but he will also want to freshen things up, especially with the recent International football.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up

I am going to guess that both Eboue and Rosicky will start the game as they began the midweek clash sitting on the bench. Having said that, Eboue on the right of attack could be seen as a little too defensive against Sunderland (no disrespect intended) Denilson is also another fresh player who could come into the team but I wouldn’t be surprised if Jack Wilshere was left in the midfield to continue his good form and relationship with Alex Song and captain Cesc Fabregas.

One to watch: Sebastien Squillaci