Arsenal Scrape Past Brighton in Cup Thriller as Arteta's Bold Choices Pay Off Despite Shaky Performance

Emirates Stadium, London—A less-than-convincing Arsenal secured their place in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals following a 2–0 home triumph over Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night.

Should Mikel Arteta require any justification for his naturally conservative tactics in most Arsenal fixtures, this chaotic display offered the perfect example. On a different evening, this heavily rotated squad might have found themselves retrieving the ball from their own goal several times over.

In loosening their usual restraint—whether deliberately or more probably due to extensive squad rotation—Arsenal had to depend on an outstanding showing from goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Two expertly constructed strikes from Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka compensated for the hosts' more flowing possession play, though this approach is unlikely to serve as a template for future Arsenal displays.

Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Brighton (4-3-3)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga—8.3: Outstanding from start to finish. Preserved Arsenal's chances in the opening 10 minutes with two crucial saves and remained vital throughout the contest.

RB: Ben White—7.4: Displayed considerable energy if lacking polish in his frequent attacking runs.

CB: Cristhian Mosquera—7.3: Flourished despite the mayhem as Arsenal's defense faced far greater challenges than their usual duties.

CB: Piero Hincapié—7.3: Making his first full Arsenal appearance, the summer loan acquisition adopted a more defensive stance, covering behind his center-back colleague both on and off the ball.

LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly—8.0: A remarkable display of self-assurance: no ball exists outside Lewis-Skelly's sphere of influence in the teenager's determined mindset.

CM: Ethan Nwaneri—8.0: The poor quality of Nwaneri's opening 45 minutes only enhanced his second-half showing. Most 18-year-olds would have retreated with a Brighton defender constantly pressuring them, yet Nwaneri persisted, seeking possession which he ultimately capitalized on.

CM: Christian Nørgaard—7.4: Stabilizing Arsenal's midfield during Martín Zubimendi's absence, the ex-Brentford captain's performance featured precise, interconnected passes that maintained the game's rhythm.

CM: Mikel Merino—7.0: Fully embraced his captaincy role for the evening, patrolling the field with enhanced intensity.

RW: Max Dowman—7.2: The mission for Arsenal's youngest ever starter was straightforward: sprint. Each time the 15-year-old received possession, he attacked and typically bypassed Maxim De Cuyper in a display epitomizing youthful enthusiasm.

ST: Andre Harriman-Annous—6.7: The 17-year-old debutant appeared exactly that. Missing the physical presence of his relative, England rugby captain Maro Itoje, Harriman-Annous diligently pressed and pursued, nearly scoring before Saka capitalized.

LW: Eberechi Eze—6.7: Following continuous jeers from Brighton's traveling supporters, the former Eagle likely smirked as the away fans were directly compared unfavorably to Crystal Palace. His individual showing provided little personal satisfaction.

Subs not used: David Raya (GK), Riccardo Calafiori, Martín Zubimendi, Viktor Gyökeres.

Brighton (3-4-2-1)

Starting XI: Jason Steele; Diego Coppola, Jan Paul van Hecke, Olivier Boscagli; Ferdi Kadioglu, Carlos Baleba, Diego Gómez, Maxim De Cuyper; Georginio Rutter, Charalampos Kostoulas; Stefanos Tzimas.

Subs used: Yasin Ayari, Mats Wieffer, Yankuba Minteh, Tom Watson, Danny Welbeck.

Player of the Match: Kepa Arrizabalaga (Arsenal)

Arsenal 2–0 Brighton—How It Developed at the Emirates

Wednesday's cup encounter possessed an appropriately youthful atmosphere, occurring during English schoolchildren's week-long break. Arteta selected two minors in his starting formation, which featured four teenagers, with Myles Lewis-Skelly serving as an experienced presence at 19.

Eberechi Eze remained the sole holdover from the Crystal Palace lineup three days prior. The completely revamped defensive unit proved not only younger but significantly more vulnerable. Brighton easily could have netted twice within the first 10 minutes, as Georginio Rutter and Stefanos Tzimas both faltered when facing one-on-one situations during two swift counter-attacks.

Brighton implemented numerous changes themselves—half the outfield players who suffered a 4–2 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday were replaced—while Fabian Hürzeler's tactical adjustment increased the confusion. The Seagulls' 3-4-2-1 formation guaranteed at least one wing-back remained available when pressing Arsenal's back four, while inside forwards Rutter and Charalampos Kostoulas dropped deep to create a box midfield that overwhelmed the hosts' central trio.

The visitors dominated the first 45 minutes and began the second period equally impressively. Nwaneri's sharp opener marked only Arsenal's second shot on target of the match.

For a side that has consistently struggled to unlock games beyond set pieces, this represented a refreshingly smooth team movement that dissected Brighton's defense. Mikel Merino's clever back-heel released Lewis-Skelly into the penalty area, enabling one teenager to assist another as Nwaneri swept a skillful layoff into the bottom corner.

Defensive anxieties continued—Piero Hincapié required a crucial block after Cristhian Mosquera succumbed to careless possession losses—before Saka secured a calming second goal. Debutant Andre Harriman-Annous nearly joined the youthful scorers' list but, despite being played through by Jurriën Timber's defense-splitting pass, couldn't guide his attempt past Jason Steele. Saka was positioned to convert the rebound.

Brighton outshot Arsenal throughout the evening, forcing Kepa into six saves. First-choice goalkeeper David Raya has faced merely five shots since September. While not entirely persuasive, Arteta can find comfort in his team's quarterfinal qualification.

Arsenal vs. Brighton Half-Time Stats

Arsenal vs. Brighton Full Time Stats