Our betting expert expects that Arsenal, using a lineup with many substitute players, will narrowly beat a fairly strong Brighton team.
Best bets for Arsenal vs Brighton
- 1x2 - Arsenal at odds of 1.40 on Betway
- BTTS - Yes at odds of 1.77 on Betway
- Anytime goalscorer - Mikel Merino at odds of 3.45 on Betway
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Our analysis: Form of both teams
- Score prediction: Arsenal 3-2 Brighton
- Goalscorers Prediction - Arsenal: Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Martinelli, Brighton: Diego Gomez, Danny Welbeck
Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League. It wasn’t a decisive victory, as the visitors came close to equalling the score toward the end of the match.
However, the Gunners' defence was strong as they registered another clean sheet this season. They’ve conceded three goals in 13 competitive games across all competitions. Mikel Arteta will likely rotate his squad during the week, questioning if they can still be resilient at the back.
The North London side haven’t won the League Cup for a long time. While they reached the semi-finals last season, they were knocked out by Newcastle. This is an opportunity for Arteta to add the trophy to his resume.
However, the hosts must first defeat Brighton and Hove Albion. Although the Seagulls are coming off a heavy 4-2 defeat against Manchester United, Fabian Hurzeler should encourage his players to focus on their strong performance so far.
The coastal outfit have already defeated Oxford United and Barnsley, so they must be confident of passing round four of the competition.
Probable lineups for Arsenal vs Brighton
Arsenal expected lineup: Arrizabalaga, White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Eze, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Merino
Brighton expected lineup: Steele, Kadioglu, Coppola, Boscagli, Veltman, Baleba, Milner, Gomez, Welbeck, Watson, Tzimas
Brighton have bounced back
The home side are likely to contain several changes from the team that beat Palace over the weekend. Arsenal’s strength in depth will be tested here, but their quality suggests that they should be able to rise to the challenge.
It’s worth mentioning that a similar starting 11 beat Port Vale 2-0 in the previous round. The Gunners suffered their last defeat against Liverpool. Since then, they’ve been on a 10-game unbeaten run, including seven consecutive victories.
The visitors’ five-game unbeaten run ended at the weekend, a run that happened between two defeats. Both head-to-heads in the Premier League last season ended in a draw. However, the Gunners have won the previous two meetings.
The Seagulls were formidable opponents for the North Londoners earlier this decade, but the home side seem to have turned the tide.
- Arsenal vs Brighton Betting Tip 1: 1x2 - Arsenal at odds of 1.40 on Betway
Defensive changes to cause trouble
The visitors could take advantage of the major changes in the Arsenal backline. That will be difficult because Mikel Arteta's team currently has one of the tightest defenses in Europe.
However, Brighton are the best scoring team in the EFL Cup. They’ve scored six in both fixtures, taking them to the top of the charts with a dozen goals. Hurzeler’s men have seen both teams score in four consecutive games after their 6-0 domination of Barnsley.
The visitors have conceded seven goals in their last four fixtures, but they have been decent in attack. Diego Gomez was their best player in the last round, having scored four on the night. He’s also the top scorer in the competition and will threaten the home defence on Wednesday night.
- Arsenal vs Brighton Betting Tip 2: BTTS - Yes at odds of 1.77 on Betway
The stand-in striker with an aerial threat
Arteta will likely turn to Mikel Merino to lead the line on Wednesday night. Viktor Gyokeres will be rested, while Kai Havertz is still out through injury. Merino has previously shown he can perform well as a striker for the Gunners.
The Spaniard scored seven Premier League goals last term and netted against Newcastle this season, with a brace on international duty. With Arsenal’s ongoing threat from setpieces, the former Real Sociedad player is likely to find the net again.
- Arsenal vs Brighton Betting Tip 3: Anytime goalscorer - Mikel Merino at odds of 3.45 on Betway