Last weekend, Brighton & Hove Albion engineered a stunning 4-1 win over Swansea City at the AMEX Stadium. The Seagulls have lost none of their last 6 games across all competitions and on Sunday, there are due to host Arsenal at their own backyard.
Chris Hughton’s side would enter the game with lots of confidence and here is how we expect him to dish out his starting XI against Arsene Wenger’s side which has been very sluggish of late.
Team News
Jiri Skalak is in contention for the home side after overcoming an ankle injury, although he is due to have a late fitness test. While Steve Sidwell is a long-term absentee, Hughton has no other concern.
Goalkeeper
Mathew Ryan is expected to be stationed between the sticks in the upcoming fixture. The 25-year-old custodian has collected 8 clean sheets from 28 appearances in the Premier League this season, making 2.71 saves per game on an average, and deserves to get the nod to start.
Defence
Shane Duffy and Ryan Dunk are likely to start from the central defence to showcase their resilience against the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil. Against such a top-quality opposition, Duffy and Dunk need to churn out a decent chemistry amongst them and need to be on their toes throughout the game. Ezequiel Schelotto is expected to start from the right-back position whereas at the left-back, Hughton is seemingly likely to pencil Gaetan Bong to showcase his industry.
Midfield
Davy Propper and Dale Stephens are anticipated to be pencilled in the middle of the park. They have fared well together and against the north London based outfit, they need to choke the creative prowess of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ozil and ensure that they shield their backline in a meticulous fashion.
Pascal Gross has notched up 5 goals and 7 assists in 28 league appearances and he would be a lethal commodity in the final third. The German attacking midfielder is expected to operate as no.10 to create goal scoring opportunities for his teammates and try to breach Arsenal’s timorous defence.
Attack
Glenn Murray is in a fine touch, having bagged a brace against the Swans and he would be one of the first names to find a place in Hughton’s starting line-up. He is expected to lead the line. Meanwhile, Anthony Knockaert would be a handy player from the right-wing whereas from the other side, we expect Jose Izquierdo to start the game.
