The Premier League fixture scheduled for Saturday evening originates from the Amex Stadium situated on the South Coast, where Brighton & Hove Albion aspire to secure another victory against title-contending Arsenal.
In their recent encounter against Brentford on Wednesday, Brighton & Hove Albion faced difficulty in breaching the opposing defense, resulting in a goalless draw. Conversely, Arsenal displayed a less than stellar performance against Luton Town, yet managed to secure a victory with a two-goal lead.
Match preview
Brighton’s recent outing at the Gtech Community Stadium resulted in a new club record, albeit one of a less desirable nature. During their Premier League away match against relegation-threatened Brentford, the Seagulls managed to set a record for the highest number of shots attempted without scoring. Despite firing twenty-four shots at the Brentford goal, Roberto De Zerbi’s team failed to find the back of the net. Additionally, they missed an opportunity to rectify their offensive shortcomings when a potential penalty decision was reviewed by referee Andy Madley. However, Madley’s decision did not favor Brighton, further contributing to their disappointment.
As a consequence of the aforementioned factors, including resolute defending by Brentford and Brighton’s recurrent inefficiency on away grounds, where they have only scored once in their last five matches across all competitions, the Seagulls missed the chance to climb back into the top seven of the league standings, currently occupying the ninth position.
Despite facing setbacks in recent months, De Zerbi’s team remains within reach of a European spot for the 2024-25 season, as they are only two points behind seventh-placed West Ham United, who have played an additional game. Brighton has notably displayed strong performances at their home ground, the Amex Stadium, remaining unbeaten in their last fourteen games since their defeat to AEK Athens in a Europa League match in September. Furthermore, they secured victories against Nottingham Forest and Roma in their last two home fixtures, conceding no more than one goal in any home game in 2024.
However, the last team to breach Brighton’s defense on their home turf was Tottenham Hotspur, who scored twice in a 4-2 defeat at the end of December. Despite this, Arsenal, unlike Tottenham, has demonstrated resilience in away matches, keeping clean sheets in their last four consecutive away games. Although their defensive approach during a recent fixture against Manchester City attracted criticism, Arsenal returned to their attacking form in a midweek encounter against Luton, securing a comfortable victory with goals from Martin Odegaard and a Daiki Hashioka own goal.
Arsenal’s win against Luton marked their ninth victory in ten Premier League games in 2024, allowing them to reclaim the top spot in the league standings, albeit temporarily as Liverpool’s subsequent victory over Sheffield United pushed Arsenal back to second place. Mikel Arteta’s team, renowned for their defensive solidity away from home, will aim to extend their streak of clean sheets as they face Brighton, whom they defeated 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium four months ago. However, Arsenal has not achieved consecutive victories against Brighton since the 2020-21 season.
Team News
Two emerging attackers were conspicuously absent from the Brighton lineup against Brentford. Irish striker Evan Ferguson, reportedly scouted by Arsenal, was sidelined due to an ankle injury, while Ansu Fati was omitted for tactical considerations. Following the match, De Zerbi acknowledged that Fati was not deemed fit for Premier League competition.
While Ferguson’s availability for the Gunners’ visit remains uncertain, several other Brighton players are indisposed: Solly March (knee), Kaoru Mitoma (back), Billy Gilmour (knee), and Jack Hinshelwood (ankle), with James Milner also recuperating from a thigh issue.
Brighton has made a remarkable 114 changes to its starting lineups this season, the highest in the Premier League. Another round of alterations is anticipated, potentially including the return of former Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck to the starting XI.
Meanwhile, Arsenal faced a setback as their top scorer Bukayo Saka was absent from midweek action due to fatigue sustained in the previous match against Manchester City. Although he trained earlier in the week and was expected to feature against Luton, a late setback prevented his inclusion. Manager Arteta remains hopeful for Saka’s swift recovery ahead of Saturday’s fixture, while Jurrien Timber, recovering from an ACL injury, is unlikely to feature.
Arteta praised Emile Smith Rowe’s performance in midweek, but the Englishman is expected to make way for a rested Declan Rice in the upcoming match.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Lamptey, Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Baleba, Gross; Adingra, Moder, Enciso; Welbeck
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli