Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for this all-Premier League clash as the FA Cup holders get the defence of their crown underway by welcoming Sunderland to the Emirates Stadium. It is always a special day in English football, and Sunderland will be looking to make it particularly memorable by pulling off an upset in North London. First things first, though, let's take a look at the two teams....

SUNDERLAND STARTING XI: Pickford; Yedlin, Coates, O'Shea, van Aanholt; Cattermole, Lens, Toivonen, Watmore; Graham, Fletcher

SUNDERLAND SUBS: Mannone, Jones, Borini, Defoe, M'Vila, Mavrias, Beadling

Well, Arsenal are being lazy with their team news today so let's look at Sunderland first up. Sam Allardyce promised that he would play one of his youngsters in today's match, and he has kept to that with Pickford, as expected, replacing Mannone in goal. Mannone drops to the bench, which means that there is no place in the squad at all for Pantilimon. It is a special day for the young keeper, who makes his Sunderland debut today.

In all, Allardyce has made seven changes to the side that beat Aston Villa, as is often the case when it comes to cup matches. New signing Jan Kirchhof is not yet available, while Kaboul remains sidelined, so his hands are tied a little when it comes to defence. As such, there are only two changes at the back, with Yedlin and Coates returning to the starting XI in place of Jones and Brown. O'Shea and Van Aanholt both keep their places.

Cattermole also keeps his place in the side, although it is pretty much all change around him in midfield, including a possible change of formation from Allardyce. Jeremain Lens, who has been linked with a move away from the club following a falling-out with Allardyce, is handed a rare start, while Toivonen also comes back into the side. Young Watmore, who has impressed while breaking into the first team, is one of the four players to keep their place from the Villa win.

Allardyce could well be going for two up front today as he gives the match-winner from last weekend Jermain Defoe a rest, in addition to Borini and Johnson. Instead, both Danny Graham and Steven Fletcher start for the Black Cats today and, while they may not be the most mobile or prolific striker duo, they will be able to cause Arsenal a few problems in the air if they are given the right service.

ARSENAL STARTING XI: Cech; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chambers, Iwobi, Walcott, Campbell; Giroud

ARSENAL SUBS: Macey, Debuchy, Arteta, Ramsey, Monreal, Reine-Adelaide, Willock

It is an interesting team selection from Arsene Wenger today, with a mixture of experience and a hint of youth in the side. Perhaps the most intriguing area of the field for the Gunners is the middle of the park, where Calum Chambers is expected to play in a defensive midfield role. He could well be joined in that position by Oxlade-Chamberlain, although the Ox will no doubt be given more free rein to burst forward and join any attacks.

It is a big day for Alex Iwobi as he is named in the starting lineup, and it is a pacey trio that he is involved with behind the striker. Campbell has featured a lot more in the first team this season and actually got on the scoresheet when Arsenal welcomed Sunderland here in the Premier League last month. Walcott joins him and Owobi behind the striker to add another element to what looks like an exciting Arsenal attack.

Spearheading that attack is Olivier Giroud, who overcame a difficult start to the season to enjoy a magnificent run of form in the closing months of 2015. He will have mixed memories of Sunderland, however, having scored at both ends in the Premier League meeting here. Wenger has opted against resting his main striker this weekend and he will be looking to add another chapter to what has been a successful FA Cup career for Arsenal so far.

He will have no Mesut Ozil to provide the passes for him today, however, as the German misses out entirely. Another player absent is David Ospina, who was expected to start today but misses out due to a minor groin problem, which means that Cech once again tends the goal. In front of him there are two changes as Gabriel and Gibbs come in to replace Mertesacker and Monreal.

Cech's presence has certainly helped Arsenal take things up a notch in the Premier League, and they will be hoping that he does the same in the FA Cup - although their record in this competition over the past two seasons has been exemplary. The club appears to be in a very good position as things stand and, while that nine-year trophy drought won't have been completely forgotten about just yet, it is certainly easy to see them picking up more and more silverware in the near future.

One of those trophies could well end up being the Premier League title this season, with Arsenal surely having their best chance to win the league since the Invincibles from 2003-04 this term. They currently sit top of the pile, two points clear of surprise package Leicester and three clear of Manchester City, who are still widely considered to be their main rivals. They have been helped by a number of the usual challengers suffering poor seasons, but Arsenal are at the moment best placed to take advantage.

Their Champions League hopes may be hanging by a thread even though they haven't played the first leg of their last 16 tie yet, with the might of Barcelona await them in the first knockout phase. It would be some feat if the Gunners were to get past the reigning European champions, but even if they fall to an expected Champions League exit they are on course for glory this season. As mentioned, the Premier League table looks promising for them right now, and you wouldn't bet against them succeeding in the FA Cup yet again.

Arsenal have a special affinity with the FA Cup, particularly under Arsene Wenger. The Gunners have lifted the trophy a record 12 times, and half of those have come with Wenger at the helm. That makes the Frenchman the most successful modern-day manager in the competition's long and illustrious history, with the only other manager able to match his haul of six titles being George Ramsay, who picked up the same amount with Aston Villa from 1887-1920.

It is this competition that has saved the Gunners from that long trophy drought, winning it in each of the last two seasons with victories over Hull City and Aston Villa respectively in the finals. They have never been knocked out in the third round under Wenger, last falling at this hurdle 20 years ago, and Premier League opposition will not trouble them either - they have dispatched of fellow top-flight teams at this stage in each of the last three years. Another win today would take them a step closer to winning a third consecutive FA Cup - something that hasn't been done since Blackburn Rovers achieved the feat from 1884-86.

They have not lost a single match in this competition since February 2013, when Blackburn Rovers edged a 1-0 victory here at the Emirates. They have won 12 FA Cup games on the bounce since then, including six at home, and their record in front of their own fans this season suggests that run will continue today. They have won seven and lost none of their nine home league games since the opening-day defeat to West Ham, while in all competitions they have not been beaten here since September, recording victories over Bayern Munich and both Manchester clubs in that time.

Home and away, Arsenal have won six of their last seven outings, although the exception in that run was a heavy 4-0 defeat at Southampton, which really came out of the blue on Boxing Day. That defeat is their only loss in nine games, and that run has seen them qualify from their Champions League group against the odds and climb to the top of the Premier League table.

As for Sunderland, things are looking a lot gloomier for them than they are for Arsenal right now. The Black Cats are again embroiled in their annual relegation battle, and once more it looks like it will take a late surge for them to save their Premier League status. They currently sit four points from safety having lost 13 of their 20 league outings so far.

There was, however, a glimmer of hope last weekend as they picked up their first victory since November in a relegation six-pointer against Aston Villa. The bottom two went head to head, and it really did feel as though the loser may be consigned to their fate despite it only being the first weekend of the new year. Luckily for Sunderland, it was Villa who ended on the losing side as two late goals from Jermain Defoe handed the Black Cats a priceless 3-1 victory at the Stadium of Light.

As big as that victory was, it isn't quite enough to wash away the damage done during December, when Sunderland lost all five of their matches to pick up zero points from the 15 on offer over the festive period. Further improvement is certainly needed, and Allardyce has moved quickly to bring in some defensive reinforcements. Sunderland have the worst defensive record in the league having conceded 39 goals form their 20 games, and that really is where things are going wrong. At the other end of the field it is not too bad, with 22 goals being the most in the bottom five and the same amount as Liverpool have scored, but at the other end they are leaking goals far too easily.

Their away record is also worrying, with the Black Cats having amassed fewer points on the road than any other side this season, managing only one win and a draw from 10 outings. On a slight positive, they have at least managed to score in each of their last five away games which, considering they have faced Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City in their last three, is something Allardyce will be pleased with, but that is not going to be enough to keep them in the division.

Their hopes for this afternoon look pretty bleak too. They have faced members of the current top five on six occasions this season in the league and cup, and all six times they have lost - usually by a few goals. Sunderland have been able to raise their game against the bigger sides in the division in recent seasons, but that doesn't look like being the case this time around.

Sunderland have also raised their game in the cup competitions in recent years, with Gus Poyet's from 2013-14 making it to the quarter-finals of this tournament and all the way to the final of the League Cup. However, they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Bradford City last year having progressed through to the fifth round. The last time they fell at this hurdle was in 2013, at the hands of Bolton.

Unsurprisingly considering their away troubles, Sunderland haven't had much success on the road in the FA Cup in recent years. They have won just one of their last six away games inside 90 minutes in this competition, with that coming against Championship outfit Fulham in the fourth round last season.

PREDICTION: Right, we're nearing kickoff at the Emirates, which means that it is time for a prediction! All the signs point to an Arsenal win this afternoon, and in truth I can't see anything else. Sunderland's main priority is the Premier League this year and, while that also applies to the title-chasing hosts, Wenger takes the FA Cup seriously and has a great record in it. I'm going for a 2-0 home win.

Sunderland have failed to win any of their last seven meetings with Arsenal, losing five of those, although the two draws did both come here. Their last victory over the Gunners was also the last time that they met in the FA Cup, though, as a Kieran Richardson strike and an Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal handed the Black Cats a 2-0 win at the Stadium of Light in the fifth round in 2011-12.

However, Sunderland have never won a match at the Emirates Stadium before. Their last away victory at Arsenal came back in the Highbury days, although that was also in a cup competition as they beat the Gunners in the third round of the 2002-03 League Cup.

I have already spoken about Wenger's remarkable record in this competition down the years, but his first ever FA Cup match in charge of Arsenal also came against today's opponents, in the third round. That came in January 1997, and just one season later the Frenchman would go on to scoop the first trophies of his Arsenal reign - the league and FA Cup double in 1998.

Right, we're just a couple of minutes away from the beginning of Arsenal's FA Cup defence. We've already seen Wycombe and Exeter get draws against the odds and, while a Sunderland result wouldn't be as big of a shock as those, it would certainly be an upset.

KICKOFF: Arsenal get us underway here as they begin their quest for a rare FA Cup treble this season.

We thought that Sunderland might go two up front, which would have been a gamble away to Arsenal, but instead Graham has started this match on the left flank. Not a natural wide man, you must say.

Positive stuff from Sunderland early on as Lens carries the ball forward into shooting range. He drives a low strike towards goal but it flies a yard or so wide, with Cech in control of the situation.

It's been a decent start from the visitors here. They are seeing plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges, much of which is coming inside the Arsenal half. They have settled quickly.

Arsenal come forward this time and Walcott has a go at goal from outside the box, but his effort is blocked before it can cause Pickford any problems.

CHANCE! The first chance of the match falls the way of Arsenal, who come forward with a sweeping counter. Iwobi pokes the ball to Giroud, who brings it forward before moving it into the path of Gibbs bursting into the box. The left-back puts plenty behind his effort, but Pickford passes his first test by tipping it behind for a corner.

CHANCE! Another hint of a chance from the resulting corner as it bounces all the way through to Chambers, but he steers his diving header comfortably off target.

Sunderland have been pretty positive when they have got the ball so far. They are finding it easy to get into Arsenal's half, but it is then the transition into the final third that they are finding difficult.

A poor clearance from Bellerin allows Cattermole to collect the ball inside the Arsenal half before working it out wide left to Van Aanholt. However, the full-backs's cross is dreadful and goes straight behind for a corner.

Well, this wasn't in the script! Sunderland take the lead at the Emirates through Lens, although it was a real gift from the Gunners. The danger looked to have passes when Sunderland were dispossessed of the ball and it was played back to Koscielny, but Lens refused to give up on it. He chased it down and caught Koscielny in possession as the defender tried to take it past the attacker instead of just hoofing it clear. Lens then takes it into the box before firing his effort past Cech at the near post.

That really was sloppy from Arsenal, who have shown a few signs of that already. Wenger will be hoping that goal sparks his side into life.

CHANCE! Iwobi looks to provide an immediate response for his side as he dances his way into the penalty area, but his cut-back is blocked before it can find a red shirt.

Concern for Arsenal here as Gabriel goes down when contesting for an aerial ball inside the Sunderland area. He looks in some pain, but he should be fine to continue.

Half a chance again from Sunderland as a corner is whipped into the box and met by one of the visiting players, but he couldn't direct his header goalwards and the ball eventually rolls harmlessly behind for a goal kick.

Lens is causing Arsenal a few problems at the moment. Again he does well to shrug off a challenge inside the area, but this time his cut-back is intercepted and Arsenal survive the danger.

Arsenal have their equaliser, and it is Campbell who gets his second goal against Sunderland this season! Walcott is the creator on the left, beating his man to the byline before cutting the ball back into the middle. It is behind Giroud, but Campbell is there in the space to steer a controlled finish into the bottom corner.

SAVE! Walcott is involved again here as he this time cuts inside from the left before firing a bouncing effort towards the bottom corner. It is an awkward one for Pickford, but he makes the save and Van Aanholt completes the clearance.

This time it is Oxlade-Chamberlain's turn to go for goal from range, but he drags his effort comfortably wide through a crowd of bodies.

That goal does seem to have settled Arsenal a bit. They struggled to get into any sort of rhythm in the opening 20 minutes or so, but they are beginning to look a little more threatening when they come forward now.

Shooting chance for Cattermole... but the less said about it the better. The ball drops to him 25 yards from goal after a Sunderland corner had been cleared, and his effort goes a long, long way over the crossbar.

Concern for Fletcher here as he goes down with what looks like a head injury, although it doesn't look serious enough to keep him down for long.

Sam Allardyce will be pretty happy with what he has seen from his side so far today. They have more than match Arsenal for the vast majority of this half and, as things stand, will deservedly be level going into the break.

Another promising attack for Sunderland as Watmore robs Iwobi of possession down the right before waiting for Graham to burst into the box on the opposite flank. His cross is under-hit, and Lens can only flick it into the arms of Cech with Graham unmarked behind him.

No chances to shout about in the last few minutes here. Arsenal have not played particularly well so far, and Wenger may want them to go up a couple of gears in the second half. They need to inject more tempo into their play.

Really good tracking back from Sunderland as Arsenal launch a quick counter, with Oxlade-Chamberlain skipping past Cattermole and playing the ball down the line for the overlapping Gibbs. However, Watmore and Lens have followed them all the way and the latter gets a foot in to halt the attack.

There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this first half.

Late pressure from Arsenal here as both Campbell and Oxlade-Chamberlain have shooting chances in and around the box. It is pinball inside the area for a moment, before Iwobi drags one well wide.

Martin Atkinson brings the first half to an end at the Emirates Stadium, and we're all square here as holders Arsenal are being held by Sunderland. It has been an even contest for the most part so far and a 1-1 draw at the halfway stage is a deserved result for the visitors. It could still go either way in the coming 45 minutes.

It was Sunderland who got the opening goal of the game after just 17 minutes when Koscielny tried to be too clever in defence and was duly punished. The centre-back tried to beat Lens on the edge of his own area instead of simply putting his foot through the ball to clear it, and the Sunderland man robbed him of the ball before firing it past Cech at the near post, with the keeper given no time to set himself.

The lead lasted less than 10 minutes before Arsenal restored parity, however. Walcott beat his man down the left flank and clipped a bouncing ball back into the area. Giroud's run created space behind him and Campbell arrived in it before controlling his half volley into the bottom corner with a lovely finish.

Walcott almost got his own name on the scoresheet moments later with a bouncing effort towards goal that Pickford parried away. The young keeper has made two decent saves on his debut for Sunderland, with the first coming after less than 10 minutes when Gibbs met Giroud's pass inside the box before thumping an effort towards goal that was turned behind by Pickford.

Sunderland haven't created many clear chances of their own, but they have been positive in possession in enjoyed plenty of the ball inside the the Arsenal half. Cech has had little to do aside from the picking the ball out of the back of his net, but the visitors are carrying a threat and will feel that they are very much still in this one.

KICKOFF: Sunderland get us back underway at the Emirates as they look to become the first side to beat an Arsene Wenger-led Arsenal side in the third round of the FA Cup.

Arsenal have an early chance to put Sunderland under pressure here as they win a free kick in a dangerous crossing position. Campbell drifts it into the box, but Pickford is out to punch it clear.

Arsenal have settled into the second half quickly and they are seeing plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges here. They look a little more confident in possession than they did in the first half, partly due to Sunderland sitting back a little more than they were in the opening 45 minutes.

Sunderland, by contrast, have not looked anywhere near as confident so far in this second half. It looks as though Allardyce has told them to hang on to this scoreline, whereas in the first half they looked capable of adding to it.

OFF THE LINE! Lovely football from Arsenal as, after some patient build-up play, the ball is slid down the right channel for Campbell by Iwobi. Campbell tries to feed the ball across the six-yard box, but Yedlin is there to clear it away from underneath his own crossbar.

SAVE! Moments later Iwobi goes from goal himself, but his effort from range is well gathered by Pickford.

OFF THE POST! Arsenal are even closer to taking the lead this time as Oxlade-Chamberlain works himself a yard to shoot from the edge of the box before curling a low strike towards the bottom corner that thumps against the post. The ball rebounds out to Walcott, but he can't turn the second attempt on target.

SUNDERLAND SUB: Sunderland make the first change of the contest as Yann M'Vila replaces Cattermole.

OFF THE BAR! Completely against the run of play it is Sunderland's turn to hit the woodwork! Yedlin does really well down the right, reaching the byline before hanging a cross into the area. Fletcher climbs highest and sends his header against the crossbar, while Watmore fires his volley over from the rebound.

Iwobi has another effort from outside the area here, but this time it is pretty simple for Pickford as he collects with minimum fuss.

CHANCE! Huge chance for Arsenal to take the lead, but Pickford comes to the rescue! Campbell plays a one-two with Walcott on his way into the box and the reverse pass finds him with only the keeper to beat. Pickford is quick off his line, though, and makes a big save to deny the Costa Rican.

Oxlade-Chamberlain gives M'Vila some sarcastic applause for what he believes was a dive to win a free kick, but the Arsenal man needs to be a little smarter than that. He had the Sunderland sub in a tricky situation, but made just enough contact for him to go down.

CHANCE! Another chance for Sunderland, and again it falls to Fletcher. M'Vila whips a free kick into the middle and Fletcher climbs above his man, only to put this header over the crossbar.

SUNDERLAND SUB: Another change from the visitors here as Billy Jones comes on to replace O'Shea.

ARSENAL SUBS: Arsenal respond with a double change as Iwobi and Chambers are replaced by Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta, the latter of whom returns following a calf problem.

Giroud is very close to getting on the end of a low cross into the box here, attacking the front post well but missing the ball by an inch or so, much to the relief of Pickford, who had already committed to cutting the cross out.

CHANCE! Big chance again for Arsenal to take the lead! Gibbs has acres of space down the left and brings the ball forward before playing a low pass into the middle. Walcott is unmarked, but can't get enough power on his effort to really troubled Pickford, who makes the save.

Arsenal do finally get that crucial second goal, and it is a typical Arsenal one. Bellerin exchanges a one-two with Campbell to get behind Van Aanholt down the Arsenal right, and he looks up to see that Ramsey has completed escaped the attentions of all the Sunderland defenders. From there it is relatively simple as a low pass is played in and Ramsey just guides it home from close range.

Is there any way back for Sunderland now. They have been on the back foot for much of this second half, but at the same time they have threatened on a few occasions too. They are not completely out of this one just yet.

That's game over now. Again the goal stems from Bellerin down the right, with the full-back played through on the flank. He plays a perfectly-weighted low pass into the box, and Giroud is never going to miss it as he strokes the ball home from close range. Arsenal, barring a very unlikely turn of events, will be in the fourth round yet again.

SUNDERLAND SUB: Allardyce made his final change in the immediate aftermath of that goal, with Fletcher being replaced by Mavrias.

PENALTY SHOUT! Huge penalty shout for Arsenal as Giroud goes down in the area having seemingly had his legs taken from underneath him. It certainly looked like a penalty, but Martin Atkinson waves it away.

CHANCE! Seconds later at the other end Sunderland almost pull a goal back as Graham has a shooting chance on the right side of the area, but Cech is out to make a big save.

Arsenal look capable of adding to their lead at the moment. They are playing with more freedom now that they have a cushion, and we may not have seen the last of the scoring just yet.

ARSENAL SUB: Arsenal make their final change of the match as Campbell trots off to be replaced by Jeff Reine-Adelaide, who makes his debut.

CHANCE! He may have conceded three times, but PIckford can be pleased with his performance today. He makes another save here to turn Giroud's header over the top, although it was one that he would have expected to make.

Arsenal look like progressing into the fourth round, then, and you'd have to say that it is deserved on the basis of this second-half performance. The same three players who scored against Sunderland in the Premier League here have found the back of the net again today, and as things stand it will be the same scoreline too.

There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.

YELLOW CARD! Gabriel picks up a late yellow card for a foul on Watmore.

The referee brings an end to proceedings and it is Arsenal who have their name in the fourth round draw, coming from behind to get their FA Cup title defence off to a winning start against Sunderland. Lens opened the scoring for the visitors, but goals from Joel Campbell, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud were enough for the hosts to fairly comfortable make it into the hat.

That is all we have time for this afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's match as Arsenal book their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!