Football
Football
Match Preview
Gambling
News

Brighton vs Arsenal Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction

The festive Premier League schedule continues into the new year, and Saturday, January 4th, sees Arsenal travel to the Falmer Stadium to face a Brighton side somewhat devoid of the confidence they showed through the first half of the season. SportsBoom takes a look at everything you need for this fixture. There will no doubt be the usual thrills and frills – but let’s take a look at all of the latest insights, sportsbook odds and our Brighton vs Arsenal prediction.

Ryan Liberty
Ryan Liberty

Last Updated: 2024-12-30

Chad Nagel

6 minutes read

Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal speaks with Myles Lewis-Skelly

Gabriel Magalhaes speaks with Myles Lewis-Skelly//Getty Images

  • Venue: Falmer Stadium
  • Kickoff Time: 17:30 (UK Time)

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Arsenal Heavily Backed

  1. Home: 7/2 (4.5) – 20%

  2. Draw: 59/20 (3.95) – 24%

  3. Away: 37/50 (1.74) – 56%

Head-To-Head Record

Last five meetings (Premier League)

  1. 31/08/2024: Arsenal 1–1 Brighton

  2. 06/04/2024: Brighton 0–3 Arsenal 

  3. 17/12/2023: Arsenal 2–0 Brighton

  4. 14/05/2023: Arsenal 0–3 Brighton

  5. 31/12/2022: Brighton 2–4 Arsenal 

Brighton Current Form – LDLDD

Brighton continues to disappoint and frustrate us all with their patchy form of late. No, they haven’t been horrible – and we may have been a little harsh with our previous assessment of the Seagulls – but their inability to put games away is certainly cause for concern. 

They have leaked goals and never look settled in defence – which obviously brings the opposition into the game every time they find possession of the football in Brighton’s final third. 

They face an Arsenal side who may be without some big names, but the quality and ability they have in their attacking ranks is unquestionable. If the hosts aren’t able to ensure defensive solidity, it could be a long afternoon…

Key Players to Watch

  • Mats Wieffer: The young Dutchman recently scored his first goal for the Seagulls and seems to have settled into the side nicely. He is playing with confidence and, whilst he missed the Brentford game due to a knock, he should be back in the side for Arsenal’s visit here.
  • Joao Pedro: A dynamic and exciting attacking player, his goal scoring ability is without question but his movement off the ball and consistency in ensuring the Brighton press is effected successfully makes his an important player for Fabian Hurzeler.
  • Jan Paul van Hecke: Van Hecke continues to prove his worth in gold for this Brighton side. The defender seems to find himself in the right place at the right time consistently, putting in important blocks and, where necessary, ugly tackles throwing his body in the way if that is what is required! 
    He has also shown the finesse of a modern defender though, playing through the lines of his team and seeing them launch attacking threats from defensive positions as a result.

Brighton Team News

Danny Welbeck (ankle injury), Ferdi Kadioglu (knee injury), Jack Hinshelwood (knee injury) and James Milner (knock) are all a doubt for this clash against Arsenal. 

Arsenal Current Form – WDWWW

Arsenal have struggled against teams which have set up defensively against them this season. One thinks back to that game against Everton which ended 0-0, Arsenal with all of their possession and attacking threats was unable to penetrate Sean Dyche’s defensive block. 

If Brighton are able to replicate a disciplined and structured approach to this game, they may be able to find a bit of success. The only fear is that it isn’t the approach often associated with this Seagulls team. 

The absence of Bukayo Saka, and its real effect, will be seen in these next few Arsenal games. His attacking threat is, without doubt, amongst the most dangerous in the league and there will be an expectation on the rest of the Arsenal attacking options to now find goals.

Key Players to Watch

  • Gabriel Martinelli: The attacking ace will once again become the subject of a lot of scrutiny over the next few games, but he never seems to play with any pressure. His skill, pace and ability to read the game for his team is incredibly valuable and Arsenal will be hoping he continues to perform. 
  • Declan Rice: The confidence of Rice can be seen both in his performances and what he continues to say to the media. Each time he is engaged with by the media he consistently reminds everyone that Arsenal is after silverware and won’t be insecure about it. 
    He’s a powerful player for the Gunners and they will hope that continues for the second half of the season. 
  • Gabriel Magalhaes: How good has Gabriel Magalhaes been for Arsenal!? His defensive calmness and composure are simply superb. His confidence allows his team to transition from defence into attack seamlessly and – at the risk of repetition – his powerful frame is an attacking threat at set piece time. 

Arsenal Team News

Ben White (knee injury), Bukayo Saka (hamstring injury), Raheem Sterling (knee injury) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee injury) are all out for Arsenal. 

Predicted Line-Up

  1. Brighton: 4-2-3-1

    Verbruggen, Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan, O’Riley, Baleba, Gruda, Enciso, Mitoma, Pedro.

  2. Arsenal: 4-3-3

    Raya, Lewis-Skelly, Magalhaes, Saliba, Timber, Havertz, Rice, Ødegaard, Martinelli, Jesus, Trossard. 

Suggested Bets

 Our expert betting strategy for this upcoming game is rather simple – win! These are our suggested bets.

  1. Arsenal Win: Arsenal have shown that they can win games in a variety of ways. Blowing teams away as well as grinding out tough fixtures are all options for Mikel Arteta’s men, and we think they edge this one. 37/50 (1.74) with Betway. 

  2. Over 2.5 Goals: Brighton have struggled to keep clean sheets; Arsenal have an incredible attacking threat…over 2.5 goals seem to be the play here. 5/10 (1.5) with Pinnacle. 

  3. Both Teams to Score: A betting angle that might intrigue the brave among us, both teams to score. Brighton have shown they can still hurt opponents when they get into free flow. Players like Joao Pedro upfront will always carry a threat. 33/50 (1.66) with Betway and 1xBet.

Value Bets

  1. Both Halves Over 1.5 (No): Brighton will know they have to keep things tight against this Arsenal side at the beginning of the game. So, whilst we expect goals here, backing an indirect low scoring 1st half yields enough value here. 18/10 (2.8) with BetWinner 

  2. Arsenal + BTTS: Combining these two betting angles gives us enough value to sink our teeth into. 10/1 (3.1) with Betway and BetWinner.

  3. Half-time/Full-time (Draw/Arsenal): Following on from the idea that Brighton will look to keep things tight early on, having a crack at these two keeping it all square in the first 45 minutes before the game sparks into life might be a side little bet worth punting. 39/10 (4.9) with BetWinner

Prediction: Arsenal Win 

Arsenal is playing the more consistent football at the moment. Yes, they have big players out injured, but the quality of their side remains uncompromised. Their defensive quality is matched by the threat they have upfront and we think Mikel Arteta’s men come away with all three points on offer here. 

Ryan Liberty
Ryan LibertySports Writer

Ryan Liberty is an experienced sports writer whose articles have featured in some of the biggest sports publications in South Africa. With a strong understanding of all major sports and an in-depth understanding of betting, Ryan consistently delivers insightful content. He's also known for his ability to break down complex topics into engaging, reader-friendly pieces.

SportsBoom offers honest and impartial bookmaker reviews to help you make informed choices. While we may earn commissions through affiliate links, our content remains independent and free from promotional influence.