"That will be a sign" - Chris Sutton makes bold prediction for Brighton & Hove Albion vs Arsenal
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton has tipped Brighton & Hove Albion to earn a surprise victory over table-toppers Arsenal in the league this weekend.
Arsenal will lock horns with Brighton at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday, December 31. They will be determined to retain or improve on their five-point lead at the top of the table.
The Gunners go into the match on the back of a 3-1 win against London rivals West Ham United. A victory over the Seagulls would see them take their winning streak to five matches in the league.
Brighton, on the other hand, will be looking to build on their impressive 3-1 win against Southampton. They have won three of their last four league games and are placed seventh in the standings.
Sutton is expecting the match between Brighton and the Emirates outfit on Sunday to be entertaining. He believes a win against Roberto De Zerbi's side would display the north London giants' ability to win the title this term. He told BBC Sport:
"What a game this will be. If Arsenal go to Brighton and win then that will be a sign that they can go all the way and win the title."
The former Chelsea striker claimed that Mikel Arteta will miss Gabriel Jesus against Brighton. He added:
"It was massive for the Gunners that Eddie Nketiah scored in their win over West Ham, and he took his goal really well too, but this is a big test of their resolve, and the sort of game where they will miss the injured Gabriel Jesus."
Sutton also pointed out how Brighton beat Arteta's side in the EFL Cup this season and at the Emirates Stadium last term. He thus predicted that the Seagulls will beat the Gunners 2-1 on Saturday. He said:
"Brighton knocked Arsenal out of the Carabao Cup earlier in the season but they actually have a decent record against them in the Premier League in recent years, and beat them at Emirates Stadium in April."
"I'm going for another Seagulls success here, although the way they play means Arsenal will have chances. 2-1."
Arsenal are looking to sign an attacker
The table-toppers are currently without their first-choice striker Gabriel Jesus, who suffered an injury during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Brazilian is expected to miss a significant number of matches over the next few weeks.
Arsenal opening offer for Shakhtar’s Mudryk is €40m + €25m add-ons, so €65m total. Shakhtar’s public stance is they want €100m. If Arsenal get it closer to €85m-90m, there may be a deal. Or can they play a longer game. @TheAthleticFC @gunnerblog theathletic.com/4036140/2022/1…
Meanwhile, the Gunners are determined to strengthen their options in attack in January. They recently tabled a €65 million bid for their priority target Mykhailo Mudryk in an attempt to bolster their ranks.