"I think they've flattered to deceive" – Mark Lawrenson makes interesting prediction for Arsenal vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has backed Arsenal to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 in their Premier League home contest this Saturday.
Both the Gunners and the Seagulls have opened their 2024-25 Premier League campaigns with a perfect record. While the former have netted four times in two outings so far, the latter have scored five times so far.
In his column for online bookmaker Paddy Power, Lawrenson asserted that Arsenal will easily triumph over Fabian Hurzeler's outfit. He wrote:
"I think Arsenal will beat Brighton. [They] have scored two in each of their games so far so I think they'll get another two here. It was a great result for them winning [2-0] at Aston Villa [last weekend] and they're good at home as well."
Lawrenson, who helped Liverpool win five titles as a player, concluded:
"It's a big test for Brighton, this. They won easily [3-0] at Everton but they could have been 2-0 down in the first 20 minutes and, in fairness, Manchester United could easily have won against them as well. Easily. I think they've flattered to deceive so I think it will be a home win for Mikel Arteta and his boys. Will Brighton score? No."
The north London outfit have recorded five victories, one draw, and four defeats in their past 10 Premier League meetings against the Seagulls.
Arsenal star backed to score this weekend
In his column for Paddy Power, Mark Lawrenson claimed that Gunners superstar Kai Havertz could score a goal this Saturday. He elaborated:
"Kai Havertz has grown into it at Arsenal and he's a slow burner, isn't he? Some players come in and it's fab and they fade away. Others come in for loads of money and something happens and they're away."
Showering praise on the left-footed versatile player, Lawrenson added:
"I'm yet to meet a German who isn't confident and the players who play around him know what a good player he is. He's clever, he makes clever runs, he's intelligent and now he's started to score more regularly."
Havertz, who has established himself as his club's starting striker since the turn of the year, has registered a goal and an assist this campaign.
The Bayer Leverkusen youth product, who joined Arsenal from Chelsea in a £65 million deal last summer, relished a fine 2023-24 season. The German recorded 14 goals and seven assists in 51 games for his club.