The Gunners are back in action tonight as they welcome Brighton to the Emirates Stadium for an EFL Cup fourth-round clash. Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Port Vale in the previous round set up this meeting with the Seagulls, who comfortably beat Barnsley.
Mikel Arteta’s side are chasing a sixth straight win in October, and they could go the entire month without conceding if they keep a clean sheet. A seven-game winning streak has put Arsenal in a fantastic position across all competitions, with the team currently the most in-form in the league.
Looking at the head-to-head record, Arsenal have won only two of their last five encounters with Brighton. Both Premier League meetings last season ended in 1-1 draws, so this tie could be a tricky one for the Gunners.
Competition: EFL Cup – Fourth Round
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
Kick-off: 19:45 (UK time)
Referee: Samuel Barrott
Team News
A number of players picked up issues during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace. William Saliba did not return for the second half, while Declan Rice was forced off late in the game after a knock.
Mikel Arteta also confirmed in his pre-Brighton Presser that Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka had minor fitness concerns following the match. In his pre-match press conference, the Spaniard provided mixed updates on the quintet. He reaffirmed that Rice, Calafiori and Saka are available for selection, while Saliba and Martinelli have been ruled out through injury.
(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Predicted Line-up
Arteta faces a mini conundrum against the Seagulls. Unlike the Port Vale tie, excessive rotation could leave Arsenal exposed against a strong Brighton side. His selection will likely reveal how seriously he is taking this competition.
Predicted XI:
Kepa Arrizabalaga; Myles Lewis-Skelly, Piero Hincapié, Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White; Martin Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, Ethan Nwaneri; Leandro Trossard, Mikel Merino, Bukayo Saka (C).
Score prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Can Arsenal maintain their perfect October and extend their winning run to eight in all competitions? Share your predictions below, Gooners!
Benjamin Kenneth
__________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
More Stories / Latest News
Xhaka