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"Kev is not quite there yet but he'll be back after the international break.
"It's a huge boost going into what is likely to be our toughest test of the season," manager Peter Reid told the clubs official website.
"Arsenal have broken more records than Mark Spitz in the Olympics. They are up there with Real Madrid as the best side in Europe.
"Like everyone else I watched Arsenal win at Leeds last week and they were awesome but it's our job to go there and get a result.
"They score lots of goals and have gone on a great unbeaten run. You know they will come at you from the start and we must defend properly. It's a game we are looking forward to against one of the best teams in the world. Everyone expects us to get beaten down there but that's not in my mentality.
"They're a good side but it's still eleven versus eleven and we've got to go out, stand up and win battles."
Sunderland go into the game at Highbury without Stephen Wright, Michael Gray, Jason McAteer, Joachim Bjorklund, Emerson Thome and Phillips who are all missing through injury.
