Arsenal continue their challenging start to the Premier League season looking to make it three wins from three after beating both Wolves and Aston Villa. The win last weekend was a massive boost to the side’s title chances having lost twice to Unai Emery’s side last season.
Brighton are the opposition this forthcoming Saturday lunchtime as the Gunners face their first early kick-off of the new campaign kicking off the weekend’s action. The Seagulls have enjoyed an equally confident start to the campaign beating both Everton and Manchester United providing the perfect beginning to Fabian Hurzeler’s time in charge after Roberto De Zerbi departed for Marseille in the summer.
Mikel Arteta will be looking however to end this winning run and extend his own with the chance to utilise some new options. The game of course takes place the day after the transfer window closes and there is a deadline for when new players will need to be registered by in order to play in the clash.
In defence, the stalwarts of Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes remain unmoved. That said, there is a discussion to be had about who starts at left-back with three options up for debate: Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ricardo Calafiori.
Timber was the preferred choice for Villa, offering greater defensive security but there was a sense that the absence of Zinchenko’s offensive benefits seen against Wolves were missing. Therefore it makes sense in this third game to give the Italian summer signing a chance.
Into midfield and Declan Rice returns to the number six role while Martin Odegaard continues to play in the attacking right eight position. The Norwegian is under pressure to deliver a goal contribution, especially after his big miss last weekend.
However, the third midfield slot can now be taken up by summer signing Mikel Merino. Integrating Arteta’s new midfielder into the team ahead of the next two games against Tottenham and Manchester City will be very important.
The forward line sees both Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz continue on the right and through the middle. However, the left-wing area continues to be a point of debate but Leandro Trossard stole the show at Villa and certainly deserves the nod at this point over Gabriel Martinelli.
Dream Arsenal XI vs Brighton: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Trossard
