Arsenal have seen their top four hopes start to fade away through the last few weeks, but they still have a chance to make it with a win this week. Anything other than a win against Brighton essentially ends their league season, so the Gunners will have to come out firing and be sure to pick up all three points and end their run of three straight losses in the Premier League.
Brighton are so so close to securing their place in the Premier League for next season. They could clinch safety by the time this match kicks off, but they will still prepare like they haven’t clinched and will be looking for the three points that will push Cardiff City over the edge and back into the Championship.
Team News
Arsenal will be without Aaron Ramsey, Denis Suarez, Hector Bellerin, Danny Welbeck and Rob Holding for the rest of the season with an assortment of injuries. Laurent Koscielny may also be absent, as he is a slight doubt for the match, according to Physioroom.com.
Brighton will be missing Davy Propper and Jose Izquierdo and could also be without Beram Kayal, according to Physioroom.com.
Key Players
Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette
Lacazette struggles away from home, as does the entire Arsenal team, but he is a fantastic goalscorer at home, as he showed once again with his brace against Valencia on Thursday. He just won Arsenal’s player of the season award and will now look to show everyone why he did. He can easily grab a goal or two against Brighton and keep the Gunners league season alive.
Brighton: Glen Murray
Brighton will look to take advantage of Arsenal’s weak defence and Murray is the perfect striker to do so. He is their leading goalscorer and he can use his movement to take advantage of the lackadaisical Arsenal defenders, such as Shkodran Mustafi, to grab a goal or two of his own.
Prediction
While Arsenal have been very poor in the last couple of weeks, they should still be able to beat Brighton.
Prediction: 3-1 Arsenal
