On Wednesday, October 29, the Emirates will host the Arsenal vs Brighton & Hove Albion Carabao Cup tie.
Top-of-the-Premier-League-table Arsenal will be looking to maintain their strong form. Meanwhile, Brighton, who are known to impress in Cup performances, may pull off a surprise against the Gunners.
Match Details
Emirates Stadium
London, England
Wednesday, October 29
19:45 GMT
Rotation and Priority for Arsenal
Arsenal go into this fixture as clear favourites, given their strong league form and home advantage. Arsenal had won six of their last six matches across all competitions, scoring on average two goals and conceding only 0.17 per game, showing excellent defensive solidity and scoring rhythm.
However, being a cup game, manager Mikel Arteta may opt to rotate his squad, especially as the Premier League remains the priority. With reigning champions Liverpool struggling for form, and other competitors still finding their footing, Arsenal are top of the Premier League table, and will be aiming to keep it that way until the end of the season.
Brighton, by contrast, while competitive, are slightly more vulnerable away from home and may use the Arsenal vs Brighton tie as a momentum-building game. Nevertheless, their stadium form and transition game mean they remain a threat if Arsenal don’t treat this with full seriousness.
Injury & Availability Issues Impacting Key Positions
Mikel Arteta enters the Arsenal vs Brighton match with a few doubts. Key players, including William Saliba, Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, are all undergoing assessments ahead of the Brighton game.
Brighton too have issues: they are missing the likes of Jack Hinshelwood, Solly March and Adam Webster due to injury.
These absences may force both sides into tactical adjustments. For Arsenal, any missing defensive or midfield link could lead to increased rotation and reliance on squad depth rather than the first-choice XI. Brighton will need to emphasise organisation and set-piece defence with some key names missing.
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Tactical Battle – Arsenal’s Dominance vs Brighton’s Cup Mindset
Statistically, Arsenal have the edge: head-to-head over recent years favours the Gunners, and home form supports them.
Brighton, though, have shown that in cup ties or when playing with less pressure, they can spring a surprise. The challenge for Arsenal is not to treat this as a routine win but to execute with intensity. Brighton will likely aim to frustrate, absorb pressure and hit on the break.
Given that Arsenal may rotate, Brighton’s best chance lies in catching them during a less-familiar lineup or capitalising on any lapses in concentration. If Arsenal’s rotation weakens their usual pressing or cohesion, Brighton could exploit it.
Arsenal vs Brighton Injuries
Arsenal injuries: William Saliba, Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus
Brighton injuries: Jack Hinshelwood, Solly March, Adam Webster, Kaoru Mitoma, Joel Veltman and Brajan Gruda
Arsenal vs Brighton Predicted Lineups
This will be no easy fixture, and both Mikel Arteta and Fabian Hurzeler will be looking to feild a strong team. Here, we look at the Arsenal vs Brighton predicted lineups:
Arsenal predicted XI: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ben White, Christian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Eberechi Eze, Christian Norgaard, Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard
Brighton predicted XI: Jason Steele, Mats Wieffer, Lewis Dunk, Olivier Boscagli, Maxim De Cuyper, James Milner, Yasin Ayari, Diego Gomez, Georginio Rutter, Yankuba Minteh, Danny Welbeck
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Sportimage
Recording Date: 21.10.2025