Premier League leaders Arsenal have had a near-perfect campaign so far and they will be looking to end the year 2022 on the highest note possible. A win away from home against Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on New Year’s Eve and maintaining their five-point lead at the top of the table over Manchester City might be the best way to go about business for the Gunners.
The Gunners came from behind to beat West Ham United 3-1 on Boxing Day, while the Seagulls got the better of Southampton by the same scoreline on the South Coast.
No strangers to pulling off upsets or playing fancy football, Brighton are one of the most entertaining sides in the Premier League as things stand. Their scouting system, combined with packing players who fit obvious roles in the team and under the new leadership of manager Roberto de Zerbi has paid immense dividends.
The Seagulls currently find themselves seventh in the Premier League table with 24. They are sandwiched between Liverpool and Chelsea and are still in the hunt for European football, which is likely to be their biggest pursuit in the first half of 2023.
A short trip along the South Coast to his former home was a worthwhile journey for former Southampton star Adam Lallana. He ended up keeping his celebrations short and subtle after helping his side take the lead at St Mary’s – potentially out of sympathy for Gavin Bazunu as much as anything else.
It was his header that found its way through Bazunu’s grasp before opposition defender Romain Perraud ended up turning it into his own net miserably just before the half time break. Solly March then ensured that he would grab headlines after he let one fly and it wrestled into the top corner. There was late consolation four Southampton though as James Ward Prowse pulled one back but it didn’t amount to anything significant as Brighton held on for all three points, their third win in the last five games.
Roberto de Zerbi has issued out a warning to the rest of the league, including league leaders Arsenal about facing an ‘angry’ Brighton side after they were eliminated from the EFL Cup recently. League One side Charlton Athletic pulled off a massive upset by sending the Seagulls packing but Brighton have showed that it was more likely a blip after reverting to form in the Premier League over the last weekend.
Liverpool pulled off what was a fluke win over Leicester City thanks to two own goals from Wout Faes in the first half. That result will prevent de Zerbi’s side from climbing higher up in the table. Even though de Zerbi has lost two of his four Premier League games at home since taking charge, he will be desperate about holding on to the seventh place in the table and potentially doing a favour to Manchester City by denying Arsenal points.
Fortunately though, Brighton’s defensive resilience at the Amex has been formidable with them conceding a mere six goals in Premier League home matches during the 2022-23 season so far. The Seagulls have established a reputation as Arsenal’s bogey team in recent years and there’s no doubt that the fear factor will play in Mikel Arteta’s mind in the opposition dugout.
Despite the long-term injury enforced absence to their regular number 9 Gabriel Jesus, who arrived from Man City this summer, young Eddie Nketiah, sporting the number 14, thrived under the pressure. Not only did he show composure, clarity, and poise, he also insisted with his football that he didn’t want to be viewed as a mere replacement for his injury-stricken teammate following a wonderful performance in the London derby against West Ham.
It was Nketiah whose half turn, swivel, and shot following a lay off from Martin Odegaard at the edge of the box completed the turnaround against the Hammers in the recently held London derby. He laid the finishing touches in that 3-1 victory but the Gunners will also have to thank Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli for turning things around after Said Benrahma scored from the penalty spot to stun the Emirates and give the visitors the lead of the contest.
Picking up all three points from their first Premier League fixture since the World Cup break means that Arsenal continue to hold a crucial five-point advantage over defending champions Manchester City at the summit of the table. Regardless of the result at the Amex tonight, Mikel Arteta’s men are guaranteed to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the top of the table.
While the detractors and critics will continue to point out that Arsenal still have two fixtures left against Manchester City which could potentially determine the title race for good, the reality is that the Gunners have wowed and thoroughly impressed so far this season.
Numbers and history are also in their favour as 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
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.
BHA vs ARS, Premier League 2022/23
Date: 31st December, 2022
Time: 11:00 PM IST
Venue: Amex Stadium, Brighton
FORM GUIDE:
Brighton and Hove Albion Premier League form:
- D-L-W-W-L-W
Brighton and Hove Albion form (all competitions):
- W-W-L-D-L-W
Arsenal Premier League form:
- W-D-W-W-W-W
Arsenal form (all competitions):
- L-W-W-W-L-W
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
Brighton and Hove Albion wins: 7
Draws: 5
Arsenal wins: 14
TEAM NEWS:
Brighton and Hove Albion Team News:
Roberto de Zerbi looked extremely pleased and satisfied with his side’s performance against Southampton the last time around. However, he was left very frustrated by the yellow card shown to Moises Caicedo who is expected to miss action here after he has been suspended for picking up five bookings.
Alexis Mac Allister who featured crucially in Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar will not be back until the new year. De Zerbi has also ruled Adam Webster and ex-Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck out of contention. Jakub Moder, meanwhile, continues to be a long-term absentee.
A first Premier League start of the season should come the way of Billy Gilmour in place of the suspended Caicedo, although Jeremy Sarmiento impressed in EFL Cup action against the Gunners and will pine for another chance to strut his stuff against the North Londoners.
Arsenal Team News:
As far as the league leaders are concerned, Gabriel Jesus will miss several months of action after requiring surgery on his knee. Reiss Nelson is also out with an extensive thigh problem with no clear indications of the recovery timeline for both players. On the nicer side of things though, there could be a long-awaited comeback for Emile Smith Rowe following his groin surgery in September.
The injury-plagued Takehiro Tomiyasu will also fight to recover from his latest hamstring strain in time, but there could be a change in the full-back areas anyway, with Oleksandr Zinchenko fit again and ready to challenge Kieran Tierney for the left-back spot.
Martin Odegaard produced a man-of-the-match performance against West Ham and is now aiming to score two or more goals in a Premier League away game for the third time this season – joining an exclusive crowd of Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie and Alexis Sanchez to have done so previously for Arsenal.
Brighton and Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Veltman, Dunk, Colwill, Estupinan; Gilmour, Gross; March, Lallana, Mitoma; Trossard
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Nketiah
Predictions:
Important absentees in midfield will be a huge concern and is expected to hit Brighton hard here. Caicedo and Mac Allister are both capable of game-changing moments for the hosts, and the reintroduction of Zinchenko could end up nullifying the Seagulls’ engine room qualities even further.
De Zerbi’s side can hardly be considered as pushovers on their own turf and they might even feel confident about troubling the Arsenal backline. However, Arteta’s ruthless side led by a firing frontline ought to expose a weakened Brighton base to record their 14th win of the Premier League season
BHA vs ARS Fantasy XI No. 1
BHA vs ARS Fantasy XI No. 2
