When first place Arsenal takes on Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, it will provide an opportunity for the north London side to run their Premier League unbeaten streak into double digits.
Brighton are a very tough out though, as they started strong, lost their manager Graham Potter to Chelsea, hit a slump and since recovered. The Seagulls should compete for a European slot until the end of the season.
Arsenal at Brighton FYIs
Kickoff: Sat Dec. 31, 5:30pm GMT, Amex Stadium
Arsenal FC Team News: go here
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
PL Form: Arsenal WWWWD Brighton WLWWL
PL Standings: Arsenal 1st, 40pts Brighton 7th, 24 pts
Google Probability: Arsenal win 45% Draw 27% Brighton win 28%
The Mikel Arteta rebuild seems to be working, full force, right now. With that in mind, let’s take a look at who he might select with his first XI in order to keep that momentum going.
Arsenal FC Starting XI Prediction at Brighton & Hove Albion
Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Nketiah
Prediction: Brighton 2, Arsenal 2
Arsenal have really been on fire lately, winning eight of their last nine and four straight in the league. However, I think they might cool off a bit here, and drop a couple points. They might be due to come back to Earth a bit.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.