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Arsenal can close-in on top 4 with win over Brighton

By mac14 on October 1, 2021

Arsenal can close in on the top four with a win when we take on Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium

We endured our worst start to a league season after losing each of our opening three games and it looked as though Mikel Arteta was heading for the sack at one point if he didn’t turn things around.

However, Arsenal have managed to get their season back on track since the September international break as we picked up vital wins over Norwich and Burnley before thrashing Tottenham in the North London Derby last week.

Those victories have seen us climb up to mid-table and another win over Brighton today will see Arsenal move up to seventh and within just two points of the top four – which was unthinkable just a few weeks ago.

However, it’s going to be an extremely tough game at Brighton as they’ve enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign and they head into this match sitting sixth – four points above Arsenal in the table.

A win on home soil for the Seaguls would see them climb up to second and level on points with leaders Chelsea so Arsenal cannot take anything for granted when we head to the Amex Stadium this evening.

Arsenal favourites

Understandably, the bookmakers have this priced as a close game with Arsenal the narrow 6/4 favourites to collect all three points. Betting sites such as https://www.casino-med-snabba-uttag.com/ have Brighton at 2/1 while the draw is available at odds of 11/5.

We should see goals in this match and over 2.5 match goals at odds of 11/10 looks like a solid bet. Arsenal are in good form and I fancy us to edge it with 2-1 to the Gunners looking tempting at odds of 17/2.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is getting back to his best and the Gabon hitman is 9/2 to open the scoring in this match. If we add him as first scorer in a 2-1 Arsenal win then we get odds of 43/1 – which sounds like a terrific bet to me.

Xhaka out

Arsenal were dealt a major blow last week after it was confirmed Granit Xhaka has been ruled out for three months with a knee ligament injury that he sustained against Tottenham last weekend. Arteta will need to find a solution but Albert Sambi Lokonga is expected to replace Xhaka alongside Thomas Partey in midfield.

Otherwise, Arsenal have no other injury problems to deal with so Arteta has a strong squad to choose from. Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette are pushing for recalls but it’s difficult to see the boss leaving Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe or Aubameyang out of the starting eleven.

As for Brighton, they’ll make a late decision over Yves Bissouma as he’s struggling with a knock while Adam Webster and Steven Alzate are certain to miss out.

Prediction: Brighton 1-2 Arsenal