Arsenal’s pursuit of the Premier League title continues as Mikel Arteta’s side travel to the south coast to take on Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners edged past Chelsea in their last outing, with set-piece goals from William Saliba and Jurrien Timber ultimately proving to be the difference. This result leaves Manchester City five points behind the league leaders, although the Citizens still have a game in hand and a winnable home game against Nottingham Forest to play on Wednesday night.
Brighton come into the clash with Arsenal with confidence, having won their last two matches, against Brentford and Nottingham Forest. Fabian Hurzeler’s team are languishing in mid-table, although they remain just six points off a potential European place and will still have their sights set on qualifying for a continental competition.
Here are the key battles that we believe could be pivotal in dictating the outcome of the game at the Amex.
William Saliba vs Danny Welbeck
Arsenal are able to negate almost every team in the Premier League for 90 minutes, with Arteta’s men the best defensive team in world football according to almost every available metric. That said, individual strikers have caused William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes issues in the past.
The likes of Brian Brobbey, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Alexander Isak have all given the imperious centre-back duo a tough time, and Danny Welbeck will look to do the same on Wednesday night. The former Arsenal forward has aged like fine wine, and already has ten Premier League goals to his name this campaign.
His physicality, dynamic movement and ability to drop into deeper areas to link play could trouble Saliba especially. If the Frenchman is able to control Welbeck, then Arsenal will likely keep Brighton out entirely.
Bukayo Saka vs Ferdi Kadioglu
Bukayo Saka’s individual battle with his opposite number is always crucial for Arsenal. The wide forward holds the key to unlocking opposition defences with his dribbling, and if he’s able to regularly take on his full-back, then he can do this consistently throughout a match.
Ferdi Kadioglu has established himself as Brighton’s first-choice option at left-back in recent times, and will be tasked with keeping a lid on the Gunners’ talisman. This match-up is where Arsenal could win the game, and they should look to target the Turk.
Brighton’s maverick defender is more renowned for what he adds to Hurzeler’s attack, with his defensive qualities often scrutinised. Saka has the ability to dominate Kadioglu, and the North Londoners should be looking to feed him relentlessly.
| Bukayo Saka’s statistics this season (all competitions) | |
| Appearances | 36 |
| Goals | 8 |
| Assists | 5 |
| Shots per 90 | 2.8 |
| Expected Goals per 90 (non-penalty) | 0.29 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.29 |
Jurrien Timber vs Kaoru Mitoma
Aside from Welbeck, Kaoru Mitoma is Brighton’s primary threat. While Welbeck is capable of finding space inside a crowded box to get a shot away, Mitoma is capable of creating separation out wide that can open up a defence.
The Japanese winger is an extraordinary dribbler on his day, with his immaculate close control, blistering pace, and inventive skill allowing him to consistently beat his man. Brighton’s best bet in breaking down Arsenal’s organised defensive structure is feeding Mitoma one-on-one against Jurrien Timber.
Make the challenge. Drive the team forward. 💪
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 2, 2024
Love it, Jurrien! 👏 pic.twitter.com/6tQdoQ0dct
That said, Timber is one of the best defenders in world football when isolated against a tricky winger, and he should be equipped to deal with Mitoma, who hasn’t been able to produce the output this season that Brighton would usually expect from him.
