Arsenal vs Brighton – Premier League Match Preview

Dan Tracey October 1, 2017 Leave a comment 2,229 Views

After going the whole of September unbeaten, Arsenal will look to continue that form as we now go into October. The only blot on their copybook was a draw away at Stamford Bridge when the two teams played out a stalemate but then again that is not a result to be sniffed at.

Arsene Wenger’s men are undefeated since the aberration at Anfield and they will look to make further progress up the Premier League table after starting the weekend in 7th position. This lunchtime they play host to a Brighton side that are still looking for their first away win of the season.

Arsenal were in European action on Thursday and managed to master BATE Borisov with a 4-2 win in Belarus. Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott earned the plaudits that evening and although a win in continental competition is most welcomed these two players will have to start offering those kind of performances at a domestic level especially if they harbour any realistic dreams of going to the World Cup at the end of the season.

Monday night saw them eventually get the better of West Brom after a somewhat shaky start. They should have had a penalty awarded against them after Shkodran Mustafi’s tackle on Jay Rodriguez. The one time England international was to honest for his own good and instead of staying down he attempted a shot on goal instead.

Arsenal were handed a get out of jail free card and it was that they used to good effect as Alexander Lacazette’s brace of goals saw the Gunners go up through the gears and come away with all three points. He is the first player to score for Arsenal in his first three home games since Brian Marwood in 1989.

Brighton make the relatively short journey to North London off the back of a win against Newcastle seven days ago thanks to Tomer Hemed’s second half finish from close range. He and Pascal Gross have been responsible for all of the Seagulls Premier League goals with two a piece.

But Brighton boss Chris Hughton will have to make do without last week’s match winner Hemed after he was subsequently banned for three matches after an off the ball incident with Newcastle’s De Andre Yedlin. The Israeli was adjudged to have stamped on Yedlin and although it was not picked up by the referee it certainly was by the television cameras in attendance and that was enough to warrant the suspension.

That will be a big blow to Brighton who are slowly but surely finding their feet in this division. It is their home form which is going to be the biggest asset to them this season but that is not to say they cannot shirk their duties on the road either.

Bar the opening weekend defeat to Manchester City the fixture computer has been relatively kind to the Seagulls but this will provide something of a sterner test when they make the trip to The Emirates. That said there can be little complaints with the seven points that they have under their belts. If they carry on that points ratio then they will easily have done enough to beat the drop.

Unfortunately for them I don’t think they will be adding to that tally today as this is an Arsenal side that is finding its groove now and this should turn out to be a routine home win for Arsene Wenger‘s men. Brighton to return to the South Coast empty handed, home win for me.

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