Brighton host reigning English champions Arsenal at the Amex Stadium on Saturday afternoon, 19 September, in the headline fixture of the Premier League’s fifth round. Commentator and analyst Mikhail Beloborodov expects Arsenal to take advantage of Brighton’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Beloborodov says two-thirds of his bets have been successful this month. His latest winning selection came before this match, when Besiktas beat Marseille comfortably in the opening round of the Europa League.
Brighton have been among the most entertaining sides in the Premier League during the opening weeks of the season, scoring 13 goals in their first four matches. Chelsea are second in the scoring charts with 10.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side produced emphatic victories against Aston Villa, winning 4-0, and Coventry, winning 5-0. Those results were separated by two less positive outcomes: a 3-4 defeat by Chelsea and a 1-1 draw with Leeds.
Brighton have also reached the league phase of the Conference League, although that competition does not begin for them until the middle of October. For now, their attention is focused on domestic football and they sit fifth in the Premier League table, one point behind the teams occupying the Champions League positions.
In midweek, Brighton reached the last 16 of the League Cup by recovering from a difficult start to defeat Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford. They remained composed after conceding the first two goals.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have yet to suffer a setback this season and continue to look both secure and consistent. Their campaign began with a 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the FA Community Shield.
The Gunners then beat Coventry 3-0, Aston Villa 1-0, Chelsea 2-1 and Sunderland 2-0 in the Premier League. They also opened their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 win against Napoli before overcoming Ipswich 4-2 in the League Cup this week.
Arsenal allowed Ipswich to score twice after establishing a four-goal lead, but Mikel Arteta’s team have so far given little indication that trouble is around the corner.
Brighton’s results have been particularly impressive given that almost 10 players remain in the club’s injured list. However, Beloborodov believes their absences could become more significant against Arsenal.
The Seagulls have allowed opponents too many opportunities in front of goal, while Arsenal are adept at punishing major errors. Brighton also expended considerable energy in Manchester to secure their League Cup comeback, whereas Arsenal had a simpler assignment and played it a day earlier.
Although Beloborodov says he likes Hurzeler’s team, he considers Brighton’s prospects in this fixture to be poor.