Indeed, Arsenal have been losing points and players at a rate of knots in recent weeks. They had a disappointing November, drawing two and losing once - a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion - and the visit of relegation-threatened Sunderland offers the opportunity for some respite. Well, on paper at least. Beating the Black Cats isn't a foregone conclusion. Yes they're in the relegation zone. Yes they've sacked nine managers since January. Yes 42-year-old Jermain Defoe is they're best player. But they've won their last two games and Allardyce's troops ride the crest of a wave into this afternoon's contest. There's no debate over which side has the momentum.
Team news anyone? Why not, but first, have a listen to what the boys down at
Sports Mole HQ have had to say on this one.
ARSENAL VII: Cech; Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Bellerin; Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Campbell, Flamini, Ramsey; Giroud
SUNDERLAND XI: Pantilimon, Yedlin, van Aanholt, Kaboul, O'Shea (c), Coates, Toivonen, M'Vila, Watmore, Borini, Fletcher
ARSENAL SUBS: Walcott, Debuchy, Chambers, Iwobi, Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel
SUNDERLAND SUBS: Mannone, Rodwell, Gomez, Jones, Lens, Graham, Johnson
The biggest surprise so far is that Wenger has rustled up 11 players. Billionaire genius Mathieu Flamini was about to embark on a one-man mission to Mars, in a spaceship he built using empty pizza boxes and PVA glue, until Wenger got him to play defensive midfield. Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla are the latest casualties in this unforgiving crisis. They're replaced by
Joel Campbell and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in Wenger's only two changes from the 1-1 draw at Norwich City last week.
On a positive note, Theo Walcott is back. He's not been seen since the 3-0 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup, and he takes his place on the bench today.
On to our North-East friends now and Allardyce makes three changes from the 2-0 win over Stoke City last time out, with Ola Toivonen, Duncan Watmore - who scored against the Potters - and Fabio Borini coming in. The latter replaces the injured Defoe to partner Steven Fletcher up top. Lee Cattermole and the injured Sebatian Larsson - who began his Premier League career with Arsenal - also drop out.
DID YOU KNOW? Sunderland have never won at Arsenal in the Premier League era? Yep. In fact, their last win away to the Gunners came way back in 1983. The hosts' last win was in October, but it feels like 32 years ago. Between dropped points and crocked players, a lot has been squeezed into the last four or five weeks. Fear not Sunderland fans: four of the last seven meetings at the Emirates have ended 0-0, which is surprising, but true.
Incidentally, Arsenal could move top of the Premier League today depending on results elsewhere. Despite their injury crisis, they're within striking distance of the summit and an Arsenal win, coupled with dropped points for Manchester United and Leicester, would see the North Londoners kick off December as top dogs. Can they do it? We'll know in just about two-and-a-half hours time.
We said that the phrase 'on paper' doesn't mean a whole lot in the world of football, and one of the reasons why Arsenal can move top is because leaders Manchester City are losing 2-0 at Stoke City! There's about five minutes to go at the Britannia.
BREAKING: David Ospina has just been sent for a scan on his right hand following an innocuous handshake with the man in this video. This may not true.
Vito Mannone and his mate Gunnersaurus are reunited. Interesting fact: Mannone used to be Gunnersaurus when he was third-choice Arsenal goalkeeper. That also may not be true.
PREDICTION! Injury crisis or not, Arsenal have more than enough fit players to negotiate the visit of Sunderland. There is no excuse for not beating a team with three victories all season. That being said, Allardyce has drawn a response from his troops in recent weeks and they will travel to the capital with a smell of blood due to the hosts' woes. We're punting for an Arsenal win, but not by a landslide. Let's say 2-0.
Shall we scour Twitter to see how those people see this one? I think we should.
Mr Davids, who has obviously been in a coma since October, has gone all Biblical on us.
Indeed, storm Desmond has the potential to leave many-a-bald man red-faced this afternoon. It's not a day for the long ball, my friends.
Sumit obviously meant to tweet Mesut Ozil here. Giroud has a goal in him, but would you ever use him in the same sentence as the word 'brilliance'? Me neither.
Brian is confident. Well, he'd have to be to wear a suit like that, looking like Jack Nicholson in Batman.
Lord knows where this gentleman is watching the match.
Five minutes to go. City have lost 2-0 at Stoke. If Manchester United drop points at home to West Ham, and Leicester drop points in Swansea, then Arsenal go top with a win. It's that simple.
KICKOFF: And we're off in North London. Sunderland, who look like a bunch of reptiles in their changed GREEN kit, get us underway. Let's go.
Slightly embarrassing for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who tries to execute that Ronaldinho trick and the ball goes out for a goal kick unfortunately. He starts on the left, while Joel Campbell is on the right.
CHANCE! Good lord. Arsenal are about as exposed as a dog's scrotum here as Borini races through one-on-one with Cech, but his finish is horrendous and the Arsenal stopper makes the save. Where was Koscielny? Where was Monreal? Lord knows on both accounts.
CLOSE! This isn't far away at all.
Aaron Ramsey, in central midfield today, ghosts past Toivonen, but his effort from the edge of the box skims just wide of Pantilimon's goal. Good response by the hosts.
SAVE! Arsenal are out of sorts back in defence and Cech makes a wonderful save to keep out Flamini, whose blushes were spared there.
There isn't much of an atmosphere here it has to be said. It's yet to spark to life on the field or off it if we're honest. Early doors though and Bellerin looks suspect. He's a superb right-back, but he's been poor today so far.
Slightly better from Arsenal as Monreal and Bellerin drive a few decent balls into the box, but Giroud, a mere spectator so far, can't reach either of them.
You know what, it's very early days but this hasn't been all too inspiring from Arsenal. They've been so poor and already it looks like it could be one of those days for them.
Twenty minutes deep and Sunderland definitely the better side. Arsenal boasting plenty of possession but it's by design from the Black Cats' perspective. They're been allowed to have the ball. Problem is, they can't do anything with it.
SHOT! Yann M'Vila gets forward well and drives well over the crossbar, but it was another sign that the visitors are taking the game to Arsenal when they have the ball.
Watmore has caused Bellerin a few problems down the right-hand side this afternoon and you get the impression that if Sunderland do come away with something, Watmore will play a role in that.
Steven Fletcher is down injured now following a sliding challenge by Mertesacker, but he's up on his feet now so he should be alright. Overall, very uninspiring stuff from the hosts.
Chamberlain and Campbell have been switching wings all afternoon. I gather it's some sort of ploy to confuse Sunderland, but it isn't working. Neither him or Campbell have had any impact whatsoever.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Sunderland (Joel Campbell)
Where did this come from? Your guess is as good as mine. DeAndre Yedlin doesn't know where his marker Campbell is, and the Costa Rican latches on to Ozil's perfectly-weighted through ball to slot past Pantilimon who looked a bit suspect too. Fine assist and a fine finish.
Arsenal have their tails up and we can't be surprised if they score a second before the break. Ozil's turn to befuddle Kaboul is brilliant here but, with Bellerin steaming down the right-hand side, he can't find the Spaniard and the attack breaks down.
Incidentally, Campbell celebrated his goal by taking something out of his boxers and putting it in his mouth. It's not what you think it is. It looked like a pacifier but I can't be certain.
Giroud goes down in the box under a challenge from Kaboul now, but Bobby Madely is having none of it. Arsenal comfortable now.
Been impressed by 21-year-old Duncan Watmore, who has caused plenty of problems. In fact, he looks like the only player capable of making something happen for Sunderland this afternoon.
BOOKING: Koscielny goes into the book for a foul on Watmore. M'Vila will whip this into the box now.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Sunderland (Olivier Giroud own goal)
Heartbreak for Arsenal at the end of the first half as M'Vila's drilled free kick is deflected into the top corner by Giroud, who looks sick understandably.
HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-1 Sunderland
So, that's it for one half. It was defined by two moments. First, Borini missed a one-on-one with Cech early on, but the Gunners, who were horrendous in the first half-hour or so, burst to life when Campbell latched on to Ozil's brilliant ball to slot past Pantilimon. Arsenal been the better side, but Sunderland drew level when Giroud poked it into his own net. We've got a cracking second half coming up.
RESTART! Huge 45 minutes ahead for Arsenal, who get us underway again.
Worryingly, Sunderland the better side in early minutes of this second period and Yedlin drives well over the bar a moment ago.
Ramsey lets Oxlade-Chamberlain's ball run past him beautifully, but the Welshman thinks he's Zidane and tries to play an outside-of-the-boot ball through for Campbell, who can't prevent a goal kick despite his best efforts. Simplicity is genius, Aaron.
SHOT! Oxlade-Chamberlain has been about as quiet as a mute in a library so far, but he drills just wide of Pantilimon's goal now. It took a nick off Toivonen, but the corner comes to nothing.
Beautiful move by Arsenal here as a one-touch passing ploy slices through Sunderland, but Ramsey is offside and he misses the one-on-one anyway. Much better from the Gunners though.
SHOT! I forgot Steven Fletcher was playing - so did Arsenal it seems, as the Scottish striker comes out of nowhere to force Cech into a decent save.
SAVE! Brilliant save from Cech here as Fletcher's back post sitter is straight at the Czech stopper, whose positioning is superb. Worryingly, Fletcher is coming back into this.
SHOT! Better from Arsenal as Ozil literally jogs through M'Vila and Toivonen before drilling wide of Pantilimon's goal.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland (Olivier Giroud)
Giroud's name echoes around the Emirates now after nodding the Gunners ahead. It's a superb clipped ball from Ramsey and Giroud, who got the run on Kaboul, nods home from close range. Brilliant run and the Frenchman has atoned for his own goal.
SUB: Insult to injury as Walcott replaces Oxlade-Chamberlain now.
Arsenal look a totally different side now; one that look determined to kill off Sunderland once and for all. Ramsey executes a quite brilliant bit of skill here but his final ball to Giroud lets him down.
Twenty minutes to go now and you feel that Sunderland will get at least one more chance. Arsenal need to kill this off while they have the chance - and they're certainly trying. They're well on top.
SHOT! Good effort from M'Vila but it's never testing Cech. Jeremain Lens now replaces Steven Fletcher.
Fifteen minutes to go and Sunderland have their tails up now. Consequently, we've got another defender coming on now as Kieran Gibbs replaces opening goalscorer Campbell.
BOOKING: DeAndre Yedlin goes into the book for fouling Ozil. Chambers comes on for Giroud now and the Gunners are holding what they have by the looks of things.
We've got nine minutes to go and Arsenal still holding on. Well, they're not been put under huge pressure by Sunderland. We can't use the word 'comfortable' but they don't look at threat just yet.
There's very little happening, which is odd. Sunderland chasing the game but Arsenal still in full control.
CHANCE! Oh my word. Allardyce has his head in his hands as Van Aanholt drives over the bar from close range. Bellerin is a lucky, lucky boy. Arsenal need to wake up.
FIVE MINUTES ADDED ON:
Arsenal holding on for dear life here a little.
GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland (Aaron Ramsey)
Sloppy as you like, but Arsenal are going to win this. Ramsey makes the game safe with a close-range finish.
FULL TIME: Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland
Well, that's it!
Olivier Giroud was the villain-turned hero in North London after scoring the winner to atone for his first-half own goal. Arsenal bossed it overall and it was just about deserved, with Ramsey then adding a third in the dying moments. That's is from us. Cheers for joining us.
