Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal take on Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, April 6, 2024. The Gunners will return to the top of the league – with Liverpool playing a day later. Kick-off is at 5:30 PM GMT. Last Word on Football brings you an Arsenal-predicted lineup as they prepare to take on Brighton.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Brighton and Hove Albion
How Arsenal have Lined up Recently
Arteta has opted for a 4-3-3 this season with a consistent squad. The only changes in recent matches were due to injuries, with Arsenal’s 2-0 win at home against Luton Town on Wednesday being the anomaly. David Raya is the preferred goalkeeper over Aaron Ramsdale. Raya currently leads the Golden Glove award, keeping 11 clean sheets this season, three more than former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who has the second most clean sheets. Raya has also conceded the fewest goals on average per match.
The back four has been consistent, with Jakub Kiwior at left-back, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães at centre-back and Ben White at left-back. In Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Luton, Oleksandr Zinchenko started over Kiwior. He was replaced by Takehiro Tomiyasu in the 74th minute. Tomiyasu’s last start for Arsenal came in a 2-1 win over Wolves in December, in which he got an assist.
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The midfield has been consistent, with a midfield three of Declan Rice, Jorginho and Martin Ødegaard. This midfield was majorly changed in Arsenal’s most recent league game. Thomas Partey started his fourth game of the season to replace Jorginho. His last start came back in August against Fulham. In addition to this, Emile Smith Rowe replaced Declan Rice. He set up both goals against Luton. Smith Rowe’s last start for Arsenal came in a 2-1 away win to Nottingham Forest.
In terms of the front three, this was changed from the usual lineup. Kai Havertz remained as a striker, which saw him gain an assist in his most recent games. As for the left wing, Leandro Trossard replaced the returning Gabriel Jesus for the 0-0 away draw to Manchester City. Trossard completed a 20-minute cameo against City yet started the entirety of the Gunner’s most recent match. As for the right-wing, Reiss Nelson replaced Bukayo Saka, whose last league start for Arsenal came back in May 2020 in a 2-1 win over Liverpool.
The Gunners recent form
Arsenal are still unbeaten within the league so far this calendar year. Much like title challengers Liverpool, they have won four of their last five, picking up 13 out of 15 points. Much like Liverpool, the two points dropped came from a draw against Manchester City. Arsenal are the only side this season to have not conceded against City, which alters drastically to the seven goals conceded last season.
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Arsenal have kept four clean sheets in their last six league matches, and the last away goal they conceded came back in January. They have also scored 36 goals in their ten league games this year, averaging 3.6 goals per match. The Gunners have only lost once so far this season, with that loss coming to West Ham, a team that Arteta’s side thrashed 6-0 two months later. No team in the league has a better goals-per-match average, and no team has conceded fewer goals on average. Arsenal’s defence has been immaculate, with Gabriel and Saliba forming a fantastic centre-back pairing.
In Arsenal’s most recent match against Luton Town, they had thirteen shots in total with four shots on target, which is more shots than what Luton had all match. Yet, this statistic may not seem as dominant as it looks as 11 of those 13 shots came in the first half alone. Arsenal’s next match after Brighton comes in the UEFA Champions League where they face Bayern Munich.
Injury News
Arteta is hindered by two injuries currently. Jurrien Timber is still out injured. He is expected to return from his knee injury later this month. Also, Saka missed the Luton game due to injury and will undergo a late fitness test for the Brighton game.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Brentford
David Raya
Jakub Kiwior
Gabriel Magalhães
William Saliba
Ben White
Declan Rice
Jorginho
Martin Ødegaard
Leandro Trossard
Kai Havertz
Bukayo Saka
