Brighton vs Arsenal Prediction: Dat Guy Welbz to punish Gunners

Premier League leaders Arsenal travel to Brighton & Hove Albion this Wednesday, March 4 (19:30 GMT, TNT Sports). Mikel Arteta’s men are aiming to solidify their hold on the top spot against a patchy Seagulls side who might just be playing themselves into form.

Read on for my Brighton vs Arsenal predictions with the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Brighton lost Mats Wieffer in the second half of their 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest. The defender was starting his second match since returning from a toe injury he suffered in December.

Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler will have to cope without Adam Webster and Stefanos Tzimas, who are both out for the season with knee injuries. Good news could be on the way for Yasin Ayari as he nears a return from his shoulder problem.

The Gunners have some lingering midfield troubles. Declan Rice is being assessed after coming off in the second half of the 2-1 win over Chelsea. Martin Odegaard is a doubt, having sat out the win over the Blues due to his recurring knee problem. Mikel Merino is a definite absentee as his recovery from a foot injury continues.

Elsewhere, Arsenal are also assessing defender Ben White after a knock.

Football Odds

Brighton vs Arsenal Odds

The hosts are 9/2 to secure a third Premier League win in a row. Title-chasing Arsenal are 4/6 while the draw is priced at 11/4.

Viktor Gyokeres has had a mixed start to life with the Gunners, but the Sweden international endeared himself with that brace against Spurs a couple of weeks ago. He is 4/1 to get the first goal here or 11/8 to bag at any time.

Danny Welbeck to score anytime @ 5/2

Welbeck is yet to take to scoring against Arsenal with the same relish he has for his former employers at Old Trafford. ‘Dat Guy Welbz’ has netted eight goals against Manchester United since leaving the 20-time league champions.

But the England centre forward continues to prove himself an ageless wonder, bagging 10 goals in 27 Premier League matches for the Seagulls this term. Welbeck has scored in Brighton’s last two games, helping secure victories over Brentford and Forest. Taking three points against Arsenal is a bigger ask, but I feel that the 35-year-old will find the net at the very least. 

Arsenal to win & both teams to score @ 13/5

Arsenal built their title challenge on a watertight defence and ruthless set-piece primacy. However, Arteta’s men have conceded in their last four league matches. But there is evidence that the Gunners have kept their composure. That trait will be key if they are to lift the Premier League title.

Arsenal drew with Brentford and, unforgivably, Wolverhampton Wanderers last month. But since then they have travelled to Tottenham’s lavish stadium and delivered the most systematic beating the shiny spaceship of a stadium has seen since Conor Benn leathered Chris Eubank Jr. 

Arsenal followed that up with a professional 2-1 win over Chelsea. The defence is no longer a terrifying monument to training-ground organisation. Brighton should find a hole or two to exploit. But Arsenal will win. They have to. And Arteta and his charges are well aware of that fact.

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