Sbragia: Be Positive

Ricky Sbragia will instruct his players to take a positive approach when they play Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The last time Sunderland travelled to a top-five Premier League club - Manchester United in December when they conceded a late goal to lose 1-0 - they were accused of adopting negative tactics.

This time Sbragia, whose side are on a three-game unbeaten run in the league, has hinted that he will set up Sunderland in a 4-4-2 formation, keeping the productive Kenwyne Jones-Djibril Cisse partnership intact.

"We don't want it to be like Manchester United where we were pinned in our six-yard box, we've got to try to cause them some problems," he said.

"Arsenal are a good footballing team and we have to be careful we don't get drawn into playing open football, we have to play to our strengths.

"We've got to stop them but on top of that try to cause them problems. We might be brave and go two up front, we feel it is possible to get something from the game."