Arsenal Face Brighton Test: Key Battles, Bold Predictions and Starting XI Revealed
Arsenal host Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium for Wednesday evening's Carabao Cup fourth-round encounter.
The Gunners sit atop the Premier League table thanks to their outstanding defensive performances, with another shutout on Sunday securing a narrow win against Brighton's south London neighbors Crystal Palace.
The Seagulls suffered defeat at Manchester United on Saturday during their inconsistent start to the 2025–26 season, though they've been spectacular in this tournament, thrashing Oxford United and Barnsley 6–0 each to reach this stage. Arsenal, by contrast, eliminated Port Vale 2–0 in round three.
These sides have developed a heated rivalry following their controversial pair of 1–1 stalemates last term. The Gunners felt hard done by in both encounters, first seeing Declan Rice receive a questionable red card before Brighton earned a dubious penalty in the return match when William Saliba made minimal contact with João Pedro.
The away team also eliminated their hosts when these clubs last met in this tournament three seasons ago, with Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton claiming a 3–1 victory in north London.
Here is Sports Illustrated's preview of Wednesday's Carabao Cup encounter.
What Time Does Arsenal vs. Brighton Kick Off?
Arsenal vs. Brighton Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Arsenal | Brighton |
|---|---|
Arsenal 1–0 Crystal Palace - 26/10/25 | Man Utd 4–2 Brighton - 25/10/25 |
Arsenal 4–0 Atlético Madrid - 21/10/25 | Brighton 2–1 Newcastle - 18/10/25 |
Fulham 0–1 Arsenal - 18/10/25 | Wolves 1–1 Brighton - 05/10/25 |
Arsenal 2–0 West Ham - 04/10/25 | Chelsea 1–2 Brighton - 27/09/25 |
Arsenal 2–0 Olympiacos - 01/10/25 | Barnsley 0–6 Brighton - 24/09/25 |
How to Watch Arsenal vs. Brighton on TV, Live Stream
Country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United States | Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video |
United Kingdom | Sky Sports+ |
Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Amazon Prime Video |
Mexico | Disney+ Premium Mexico |
Arsenal Team News
The Arsenal manager expressed uncertainty regarding the injuries picked up by Declan Rice and William Saliba during the Palace match, with Riccardo Calafiori also withdrawn on Sunday. Gabriel Martinelli was subsequently spotted hobbling off the pitch after the final whistle.
Arteta might choose not to gamble with the mentioned players in midweek, given the Gunners possess sufficient squad depth to handle such omissions on Wednesday evening. Cristhian Mosquera, Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly could all feature in the starting eleven, while Piero Hincapié might earn his debut appearance in Arsenal colors.
Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus continue their recovery from injury. Bukayo Saka is likely to be rested after overcoming illness prior to Sunday's victory.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Brighton
Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Brighton (4-3-3): Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapié, Lewis-Skelly, Nørgaard, Merino, Eze; Nwaneri, Gyökeres, Trossard.
Brighton Team News
A foot injury suffered during the 3–1 triumph at Chelsea has sidelined Kaoru Mitoma for Brighton's last three fixtures, including Saturday's loss at Old Trafford. Fabian Hürzeler has confirmed the Japanese attacker will remain unavailable for Wednesday evening's match.
James Milner provided an assist at the weekend but is expected to miss the journey to north London due to a "minor muscular problem". Brajan Grada also stays on the treatment table, while Solly March, Jack Hinshelwood and Adam Webster face extended spells out.
The visitors are anticipated to rotate their squad from the Man Utd defeat, with players like Jason Steele, Diego Coppola and Diego Gómez potentially entering the Seagulls' starting formation.
Brighton Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Brighton predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Steele; Veltman, Coppola, Dunk, De Cuyper; Ayari, Baleba; Minteh, Gómez, Watson; Welbeck.
Arsenal vs. Brighton Score Prediction
Brighton will be seeking to replicate their 2022 success on Wednesday evening, but they face an Arsenal side with remarkable squad quality throughout. Extensive team changes are unlikely to weaken the Gunners significantly given their assembled talent.
Nevertheless, should Arteta implement wholesale alterations, we can anticipate an engaging cup battle in north London.
Brighton were exposed on the counter-attack at the weekend and may find it challenging against an even more potent high-pressing system on Wednesday. However, they consistently display boldness under Hürzeler, and this courage provides them with an opportunity to secure an unlikely result. Therefore, we anticipate a contest decided by narrow margins—though it remains difficult to oppose the league-topping side.