Arsenal will welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to North London on Monday morning (AEDT) in what is set to be an exciting Premier League clash.
The Gunners fell from the top spot on the ladder following their loss to Aston Villa last week, while the Seagulls succumbed to an underwhelming draw at home to Burnley.
Both sides will be keen to return to the winners' circle, but who will come out on top?
The Sporting News previews the fixture.
Odds via Unibet.
Arsenal vs. Brighton prediction, odds
In recent years, this has been a very unpredictable fixture.
Brighton have won two of their last three games at Emirates Stadium, so another upset could be on the cards.
Roberto De Zerbi's side have had some strong results this campaign, beating the likes of Newcastle and Manchester United while also taking points off Liverpool.
It hasn't all been smooth sailing though, suffering a hefty 6-1 loss against Aston Villa in September and recently dropping points at home to Burnley.
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Arsenal come into this game off a frustrating loss against Aston Villa – just their second defeat of the season.
Importantly though, they should have an advantage over Brighton regarding fitness.
A number of their key players were rested for their Champions League match on Wednesday, while Brighton were last in action on Friday in the Europa League.
If Mikel Arteta's team can hold the ball and prevent Brighton from playing their preferred possession-heavy football, they should be able to secure a result.
The Gunners are also yet to lose at home this campaign as they push for the title.
It's not very good value, but Arsenal are the logical pick here – even considering Brighton's recent success at the Emirates.
| Arsenal win | Draw | Brighton win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | ARS -0.5 | BHA +0.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unibet | 1.48 | 4.70 | 6.75 | 1.75 / 2.02 | 1.62 / 2.30 | 1.47 | 2.70 |
Arsenal vs. Brighton best bet
- Pick: Both teams to score
- Odds: 1.75 (Unibet)
Brighton have failed to keep a clean sheet in the league this season, but have also scored in every match thus far.
This makes the 'both teams to score' play very attractive.
While Arsenal's defence is very strong – conceding just 0.94 goals per game — they have a tendency to let soft goals in, particularly in the latter stages of matches.
Both sides in this fixture are also attacking minded, so there's a good chance we see the back of the net ripple a number of times.
Arsenal vs. Brighton outside bet
- Pick: Martin Odegaard to score
- Odds: 3.45 (Unibet)
Martin Odegaard was wasteful in front of goal against Aston Villa last week, but the Arsenal captain regularly bounces back.
While he's not a profilic goalscorer, Odegaard often finds himself on the scoresheet in high-scoring games.
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He has four goals and two assists in 13 Premier League matches this campaign.
At 3.45, he's good value to add to that tally on Monday morning.
Arsenal vs. Brighton match facts, kick-off time in Australia
- Date: Monday, December 18, 2023
- Kickoff time: 1:00 a.m. AEDT
- Location: Emirates Stadium (London, UK)
- Official: Tim Robinson
- Last meeting: Arsenal 0-3 Brighton (May 15, 2023 | Premier League)
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