The Matchday 20 clash in the Premier League between Brighton and Arsenal will take place on January 4 at the Amex Stadium in Falmer. Brighton vs. Arsenal: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (England)
Matches – 17 (Premier League, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 60;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.5;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 35%.
Predicted lineups for Brighton vs. Arsenal
Brighton (4-2-3-1): Bart Verbruggen – Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke, Igor Julio, Tariq Lamptey – Carlos Baleba, Yasin Ayari – Simon Adingra, Brian Gruda, Julio Enciso – Joao Pedro Jesus.
Arsenal (4-3-3): David Raya – William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori – Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino – Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Martinelli.
Each team's starting lineup is based on their previous match in this tournament.
Brighton
Fabian Hurzeler's side ended last year with a series of three draws. The team played out a goalless draw at home against Brentford, and drew away against West Ham (1-1) and Aston Villa (2-2). Overall, the club is winless in seven consecutive Premier League matches (5 draws and 2 losses). Due to this winless streak, the team has dropped to 10th place, now trailing the European competition zone by 4 points. It's worth noting that Brighton has suffered only four defeats in the first half of the Premier League season, with fewer losses only for Liverpool and Arsenal.
- Both teams scored in 10 of the club's last 11 Premier League games.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final score in 7 of Brighton's last 10 league matches.
- The club has not won the second half in eight previous Premier League games (5 draws and 3 losses).
Arsenal
The Gunners come into this match with a three-game winning streak in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta's side defeated Ipswich (1-0) at home, as well as Crystal Palace (5-1) and Brentford (3-1) away. Overall, Arsenal is unbeaten in nine consecutive Premier League matches (6 wins and 3 draws). The club has reclaimed second place in the standings and is 6 points behind leaders Liverpool (with one game in hand for Liverpool).
Defender Jurrien Timber will miss the match due to suspension, while forward Bukayo Saka and defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White are out due to injuries.
- The club has not conceded in the second half in eight consecutive Premier League matches.
- Both teams scored in Arsenal's last five away league games.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final score in 5 of Arsenal's last 6 away Premier League matches.
Brighton vs. Arsenal: Match Prediction
This season, Fabian Hurzeler's side has suffered only one home defeat in the league – against Crystal Palace. The team performs well against opponents above them in the table, with only two defeats by a two-goal margin in nine matches. Notably, at the Amex, Brighton fares better against stronger opponents, with victories over both Manchester clubs and Tottenham, as well as a draw with Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal, on the other hand, tends to secure away victories mainly against teams in the lower half of the table. In their last eight away Premier League matches, the Gunners defeated West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Brentford but dropped points in the other five matches (3 draws and 2 losses). I predict that if the hosts lose, it will be by at most one goal. Brighton needs to end their winless streak to rejoin the fight for higher positions. Moreover, the Londoners will be without their forward Bukayo Saka, who has scored 5 goals and provided 10 assists in the current league campaign.
My prediction: Brighton with a handicap (+1)
