Arsenal will visit Brighton on Saturday, September 19, at 3 PM (14:00 GMT) at the Amex Stadium in Brighton. The Premier League champions look to extend their lead at the top of the table to three points, following a perfect start of four wins from four matches. In contrast, second-place Manchester City, who also has four wins, will host Sunderland on Sunday.
Read More
In their last encounter, Arsenal and Brighton had a tense finish, marked by a dispute between managers Mikel Arteta and Fabian Hurzeler. After Arsenal's 1-0 victory in March, Hurzeler criticized Arteta's approach, stating, "only one team tried to play football" and accused Arsenal of setting their own rules. This week, Hurzeler acknowledged Arsenal as deserving champions while maintaining that he will always share his opinions. Arteta, however, stated that any animosity is behind them, expressing respect for Hurzeler and excitement for Saturday’s match.
Arsenal’s strong start to the season includes winning their first Champions League match against Napoli and earning a spot in the League Cup fourth round after defeating Ipswich. Teenage playmaker Max Dowman made an impressive debut this season, scoring twice against Ipswich, signaling his potential for a more prominent role.
A victory over Brighton would tie Arsenal’s record for their best start to a season at 123 years, having already won seven consecutive matches, including the Community Shield. Arteta acknowledged the challenges of winning at this level but noted the team's impressive attitude and performances since the World Cup.
On the contract front, talks regarding Arteta's extension are ongoing, but he remains optimistic about the situation. The last time Brighton defeated Arsenal was on May 14, 2023, when they won 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
Opta’s supercomputer gives Arsenal a 57 percent chance of winning against Brighton, who have a 29 percent chance. The matchup will be the 36th meeting between these clubs, with Arsenal winning 20 matches and Brighton eight.
Brighton is expected to return to the lineup that defeated Coventry, though they have several players dealing with injuries, including Jaouen Hadjam. Arsenal's Jurrien Timber is expected to return, but Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, and William Saliba are doubtful or sidelined due to injuries.
Predicted lineups have Brighton starting with Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Dunk, Vuskovic, Boscagli; Gross, Ayari; Gomez, Yalcouye, De Cuyper; Kostoulas. Arsenal is likely to field Raya; Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Guimaraes, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz.