Arsenal vs Brighton preview: Can the Seagulls stop red-hot Gunners?

Arsenal welcomes Brighton & Hove Albion to the Emirates for round 18 of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign on Saturday afternoon.

The Gunners reclaimed the top spot with a narrow 1-0 victory at Everton, staying top of the summit at Christmas for the third time in the last four seasons.

Mikel Arteta’s men were also victorious in Tuesday’s League Cup quarterfinal victory over Crystal Palace.

The Seagulls were held to a goalless draw by promoted Sunderland at the Amex Stadium last time out.

Match preview

Arsenal have won just three of their eight Premier League home games against Brighton (38%, D2 L3), only having a lower win rate against Wimbledon (25%) and Liverpool (36%) among sides they’ve faced 5+ times.

Brighton are winless in their last four Premier League games against Arsenal (D2 L2), though they did come from behind to draw 1-1 in both meetings last season.

All three of the Gunners’ Premier League home wins against Brighton have been by a 2-0 scoreline (October 2017, May 2021, December 2023), failing to win any of their five against them at the Emirates in which they’ve conceded (D2 L3).

Arteta’s side have won each of their last five Premier League home games. Only once under Mikel Arteta have they had a longer run at the Emirates, winning 10 in a row between April and December 2022.

The Seagulls have failed to score in their last two Premier League matches, one of only two sides who failed to score on MD16 and MD17, along with Everton. The Seagulls haven’t gone three without a goal since January 2024.

Arsenal sit top of the Premier League for Christmas for the fifth time, along with 2002/03, 2007/08, 2022/23 and 2023/24; they have never won the competition from that position. Two of those have been under Mikel Arteta – no manager has ever been top at Christmas three times and never then won the competition.

Brighton have never won a Premier League match in December under manager Fabian Hürzeler in 10 attempts (D6 L4). It’s the most games ever managed by a manager in December without winning.

His next appearance will be the 150th in the Premier League for Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya – since his debut in August 2021, he has kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the competition (58).

Team news

Arsenal

Piero Hincapie missed midweek’s League Cup victory over Palace and could return to the matchday squad.

Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Kai Havertz and Max Dowman are on the injury list of the Gunners.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Danny Welbeck and Jan Paul could return to the squad after their absence in last weekend’s goalless draw with Sunderland.

Lewis Dunk and Diego Gomez return from suspension.

Stefanos Tzimas, Adam Webster and Solly March are sidelined with injuries.

Carlos Baleba is away with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Predicted line-ups

Arsenal: David Raya, Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Bart Verbruggen, Joel Veltman, Lewis Dunk, Olivier Boscagli, Ferdi Kadioglu, Yasin Ayari, Diego Gomez, Charalampos Kostoulas, Brajan Gruda, Kaoru Mitoma, Georginio Rutter.