Arsenal players spread Christmas cheer in the local community
Arsenal players visited hospitals and community initiatives in the local area to share the Christmas spirit with their supporters.
Brighton vs Arsenal: Line-ups
Brighton
Arsenal
Arsenal Set to Win
#1
Roberto De Zerbi had warned Brighton’s latest foes to be wary of an “angry” Seagulls XI following their EFL Cup exit at the hands of League One side Charlton Athletic, but by reverting to type in the Premier League, this weekend’s hosts remain in European contention in seventh place in the table.
#2
Nevertheless, Brighton’s defensive resilience at the Amex is well and truly alive – conceding a mere six goals in Premier League home matches during the 2022-23 season so far – and the Seagulls have established a reputation as Arsenal’s bogey team in recent years.
#3
Victory over their capital counterparts temporarily allowed Arsenal to steer seven points clear of Newcastle United at the summit; that gap has now been cut back down to five points following Manchester City’s success over Leeds United, but Mikel Arteta’s men are guaranteed to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the top of the table.
#4
The naysayers will point out the fact that Arsenal still have two fixtures against Man City to come, but every other side to hit 40 points after their first 15 Premier League matches of the season has gone on to win the title, and the World Cup break does not appear to have disrupted the runaway leaders’ momentum.
#5
Arsenal travel to the Amex having picked up 13 points from the last 15 on offer away from home – conceding a mere one goal in that hot streak – but Brighton overcame a weakened Gunners side 3-1 in the EFL Cup just last month and have only ever suffered one Premier League defeat to the capital club in front of the Amex faithful.
DPP Verdict
Midfield absentees should hit Brighton hard here, with Caicedo and Mac Allister both capable of game-changing moments for the hosts, and the reintroduction of Zinchenko would nullify the Seagulls’ engine room qualities even further. De Zerbi’s side are still no pushovers on their own turf and can feel confident of troubling the Arsenal backline, but Arteta’s ruthless side ought to expose a weakened Brighton base to record a 14th win of the Premier League season.
