Title-chasing Arsenal host Brighton & Hove Albion at Emirates Stadium in a tricky Premier League encounter.
Victory would see Arsenal go top if Manchester City fail to win at Everton in the mid-afternoon kick-off, whilst Brighton can go sixth with a win.
Team News
Oleksandr Zinchenko is ruled out for Arsenal after he suffered a calf injury during their win at Newcastle last weekend.
Takehiro Tomiyasu, Mohamed Elneny (both knee) and William Saliba (back) remain ruled out.
Brighton will be without Solly March after he suffered a hamstring injury during their loss to Everton last weekend.
Adam Webster (unspecified) is also ruled out as the pair join the following players on the sidelines; Tariq Lamptey, Jakub Moder (both knee), Jeremy Sarmiento (foot), Joel Veltman and Adam Lallana (both hamstring).
When is Kick-Off
Arsenal host Brighton at Emirates Stadium in a 4:30pm BST kick-off on Sunday 14 May, live on Sky Sports in UK.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal are unbeaten in four of their last five league meetings against Brighton (W3, D1, L1).
- Brighton have claimed seven points from their last five league visits to Arsenal (W2, D1, L2).
- Eddie Nketiah has scored in each of Arsenal’s two previous meetings against Brighton this season in all competitions (W1, L1), whilst Kaoru has done the same likewise for Brighton in both games.
- Martin Odegaard has scored three goals in Arsenal’s last two home games (W1, D1).
- Brighton have kept just one clean sheet away to London-based league opposition this season (W2, D1, L3).
Prediction
Come kick-off, Arsenal could have a huge opportunity to put the pressure back on Man City or need a win just to keep pace but they can hold little fear, especially after how they showed the better bravery on the attack at Newcastle with clinical goals and excellent defending.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners however were lucky that Jakub Kiwior didn’t concede a penalty following a VAR review of his accidental handball, otherwise they could of faced a tricky uphill struggle at St James’ Park to get any result but they eventually got the job done.
Brighton meanwhile need a huge response if want to keep any prospect of a top-four finish alive otherwise they’re heading for the Europa League at best next season, especially after a shambolic defensive display against a clinical Everton counter-attack.
If there are any positives for Roberto De Zerbi, it has to be that Evan Ferguson is available to start up front, whilst they should be able to play their best football because they likely won’t be dominating unlike against Everton which was their biggest downfall in having to attack with dominant possession.
De Zerbi’s Seagulls also can be buoyant by the fact that they won at Arsenal in the Third Round of this season’s League Cup, although the Gunners will be much stronger this time round so I do expect a more competitive battle which could well end with a tricky looking draw.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-2 Brighton
Result: Arsenal 0-3 Brighton