After back-to-back London derby victories, we’re on the street once more once we head right down to Brighton & Hove Albion for midweek Premier League motion on Wednesday (7.30pm).
We’re seeking to prolong our nine-game unbeaten run towards a Seagulls aspect who’ve strung two successive wins collectively themselves, however have tasted defeat at our arms twice this season already, as we eradicated them from the Carabao Cup earlier than a 2-1 league success in December.
Those outcomes prolonged our unbeaten run towards the Sussex aspect to 6 video games, however with Manchester City in motion concurrently us, solely a win will guarantee we keep our five-point lead on the high of the desk come full-time.
SEAGULLS’ SEASON IN LIMBO
An excellent begin to the season noticed the Seagulls soar as excessive as fifth heading into December, however a depressing run of type noticed them file one league win in 13 matches as they plummeted down the desk.
Having knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup at Old Trafford, Liverpool ended their hopes within the fourth spherical, however with discontent rising on the south coast, Hurzeler has responded with victories in every of their final two video games to stave off any menace of being sucked right into a relegation battle.
A 2-0 win at Brentford was adopted by a 2-1 success at dwelling to Nottingham Forest, with Danny Welbeck netting in each matches to earn a brand new contract. Now, as a substitute of wanting nervously over their shoulders, there’s hope {that a} spell of type just like their autumn exploits might see them within the combat for European qualification.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Arteta: “They’re a really, superb aspect, the way in which they’re coached as effectively. They have a sequence of years with a really comparable model and gamers that match actually, rather well with what they wish to do, and so they actually consider in what they do. So, they’re all the time a really robust opponent.
“We’ve managed a lot of emotions over the last eight months. The deal from here until the end is that we’re going to have to do a lot of the things that have nothing to do with emotion as well. To continue to rehearse, and to hope to win what we want to win.” – every word from Mikel’s pre-match press conference
Hurzeler: “We present the gamers who aren’t beginning for the time being what they should do to get again and most occasions it is fairly easy. It’s laborious work. It’s exhibiting it in each coaching session.
“That it was the wrong decision from the gaffer to put me on the bench, and I think that’s the attitude players need to have. They have to take responsibility. They have to accept the situation like it is and try to get out of it, together with our help.”
TEAM NEWS
Martin Odegaard missed the win towards Chelsea on Sunday with a slight knee knock and continues to be monitored, whereas Declan Rice got here off within the second half with a slight concern, however Arteta hopes he’ll recuperate, whereas David Raya is ok after needing on-field remedy.
Ben White is out with the muscle concern that has stored him out for the previous couple of matches, whereas Mikel Merino is our solely different damage concern after present process foot surgical procedure.
Hurzeler has a comparatively full squad to pick from, ought to Yasin Ayari recuperate as anticipated from the shoulder damage that has stored him out for the previous 4 weeks, and Mats Wieffer be match and out there regardless of going off within the win over Forest.
Stefanos Tzimas and Adam Webster are the one different gamers within the remedy room after they suffered long-term knee accidents, however James Milner is ready to be rested.
TALKING TACTICS
Adrian Clarke: Hurzeler’s aspect are energetic, aggressive, and more likely to press us laborious. Brighton have produced the best variety of pressed sequences on this season’s Premier League, and rank second for the best variety of turnovers.
Brighton had moved away from their possession-based model, however of their final eight successive matches in all competitions, our subsequent opponents have had the bulk share of possession. Another current tactical change is the usage of Jack Hinshelwood as a No.10, and the 20-year-old breaks into the field to get on the tip of crosses, whereas out of possession he’s additionally extremely diligent.
The most in-form Seagulls are Welbeck and Diego Gomez, who’ve each scored within the final two matches. The latter is particularly efficient when driving inside from the correct, and he has a thunderbolt strike in his armoury. Netting 10 objectives in all competitions, the Paraguayan must be closed down.
One space the place Brighton are notably robust is defending corners and vast free-kicks. They have solely conceded 5 occasions from set items in 2025/26, which is the joint-best file within the division. Finding clear area contained in the field isn’t straightforward towards Hurzeler’s well-drilled crew.
FACTS AND STATS
Brighton have gained two of their final 11 Premier League matches towards us, with each wins coming at Emirates Stadium
We are unbeaten in our final 5 Premier League visits to the Amex since a 2-1 loss in June 2020. In reality, we’ve misplaced simply one in all our 9 video games on the south coast throughout the final 4 seasons.
The Seagulls have did not win any of their 5 night kick-offs within the Premier League this season, whereas we haven’t misplaced any of our final 19, stretching again to December 2023.
Only two of the final 9 Premier League conferences have been gained by the house aspect, although we gained 2-1 at dwelling earlier this season.
Between August and December, we scored simply 11 objectives in 9 away Premier League video games, a mean of 1.2 per recreation. Since the flip of the yr we’ve netted 14 in six on the street, a mean of two.3.
Viktor Gyokeres has been concerned in six objectives in his final seven away video games in all competitions (5 objectives, 1 help).
Kai Havertz has scored in every of his final 4 Premier League video games towards Brighton, scoring and aiding in his most up-to-date recreation on the Amex in April 2024.
Danny Welbeck has scored 4 profession objectives towards us, nevertheless he’s failed to seek out the again of the online in any of his final six makes an attempt in all competitions.
He has scored 10 Premier League objectives this season, matching his best-ever tally. He might grow to be solely the third participant to attain greater than 10 in a Premier League season for the very first time aged 35 or older, after Gary McAllister in 1990/00 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2016/17.
Bukayo Saka has both scored (2) or assisted (2) in every of his final 4 appearances towards the Seagulls in all competitions, netting in every of his final two appearances on the Amex.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Chris Kavanagh has been handed management of this recreation, the fourth time he has overseen us this season following our 1-0 loss at Liverpool, 2-0 win at Burnley and the 3-2 win at Bournemouth in January. Across the 27 occasions he has refereed us, we’ve by no means been awarded a penalty, however had only one participant despatched off – Eddie Nketiah at Leicester City in 2020.
It’ll be the fourth time he has dealt with the Seagulls in 2025/26, all on the Amex, which have seen the host win one and drawn twice, the newest being a 1-1 draw towards Everton in January. The Mancunian has issued two crimson playing cards and 6 penalties in 20 top-flight matches this time period.
RECENT TRIPS TO BRIGHTON
After dropping two of our first three Premier League journeys to the Amex Stadium, we haven’t tasted defeat in any of our final 5 visits since. The final journey there although yielded solely a degree as we took the lead by way of Ethan Nwaneri in January 2025, just for a controversial penalty to be awarded which Joao Pedro netted.
Back in April 2024, we recorded an emphatic 3-0 win due to a Bukayo Saka penalty plus strikes from Havertz and ex-Seagull Leandro Trossard, whereas on New Year’s Eve 2022 we ran out 4-2 victors when Saka, Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Nketiah all netted.
LIVE COVERAGE
Tune into Live From N5 simply earlier than kick-off to listen to stay commentary of the sport supplied by Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke, who will information you thru all of the motion when you’re out and about.
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