from: Brighton vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
where: AMEX Stadium, Brighton, UK
when: 12:30 PM (12:30 GMT) on Saturday
Follow the live broadcast of pictures and text comments on Al Jazeera.
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal must “flip that coin” in their bid to be crowned English champions after two painful failures.
Second-placed Arsenal, runner-up to Manchester City over the past two seasons, is six points behind the raging Liverpool led by Arne Sloat, who has a game in hand, having played half of its league matches.
Arsenal Won Brentford 3-1 in their last game on Wednesday, but stumbles in October and early November mean the Gunners are playing catch-up, and Arteta on Friday asked his men, who travel to face mid-table Brighton on Saturday, to maintain consistency.
“We have to show the same level of consistency and a little more because last year, we were the best team in the league, we broke many records and we have not yet won any major title, so there is something missing,” he said. Spanish.
“The details will be very subtle and small, and you can pick up on some matches and situations. But in the end, we are very close and we just have to flip that coin to the other side to make it happen.
“This will only happen if we do what we have to do and what we can control. The rest is out of our hands.”
Arsenal are bidding to win their first Premier League title since 2004, but are set to miss Bukayo Saka until March after the England winger suffered a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace last month.
Arteta said: “There is not a single player who will play nine consecutive matches in this position, it is impossible.”
He added: “We need more threat, we need more fit players and rotation in that unit. In terms of that, we will make the decisions as well as the performance of the players – that’s simple.
The Arsenal coach said he was unsure whether the club would strengthen in the January transfer window.
He added: “The focus now is on the players we have. “When there is something on the market that we can afford and that we think will have a real impact on the team, we have to be open to that possibility.
“We have the ability to change the team in the windows, but at the moment, the focus is on what we have.”
Arsenal’s victory over Brentford reduces the gap with Liverpool to six points 🫴#Celebration supplies pic.twitter.com/JAIzpRDlkG
— English Premier League (@premierleague) January 1, 2025
Brighton team news
Danny Welbeck and Evan Ferguson both remain sidelined due to injuries, while new signing Diego Gomez is still gaining match fitness.
Adam Webster returns to the squad after a thigh injury, while Jack Henshilwood is also set to feature, but Pervis Estopinan faces a late test of his fitness after illness.
Brighton expected lineup:
Bart Verbruggen, Lamptey, Tariq van Hecke, Louis Dunk, Igor Julio; Carlos Baleba, Yacine Ayari; Brajan Gruda, Julio Enciso, Simone Adingra; John Pedro.
Arsenal team news
Arsenal welcomes the return of top scorer Kai Havertz from illness.
Jurian Timber will miss the match due to a one-match suspension, while Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still absent from the field due to injury.
Arsenal expected lineup: David Raya; Jacob Kuyor, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ricardo Calafiore; Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Mikel Merino; Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli.
Face to face
Brighton have failed to win in their last four home matches against Arsenal, with the Gunners winning three of those matches.
The Seagulls have won three of their last seven meetings with the north London side – all of those victories coming at Emirates Stadium.
Next stop: Round 20 🚂 pic.twitter.com/bhpb6jbKzT
— English Premier League (@premierleague) January 2, 2025
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