Arsenal visit euphoric Brighton to continue winning streak
London – AFP – Arsenal, the defending champions and current leaders of the English Premier League, will visit the buoyant Brighton in Matchday 5 on Saturday, aiming to extend their winning streak.
Thanks to six wins in their last seven away league matches, with just one defeat, Mikel Arteta’s side appear well-positioned to beat Brighton, especially given that they have not lost to them in their last seven encounters, recording five wins and two draws. However, their opponents will not be easy to handle.
It may come as a surprise that Brighton, fifth in the table with seven points, are the league’s top-scoring team after four matchdays (13 goals), but this tally was boosted by their 5-0 thrashing of Coventry in the previous round.
However, Brighton have failed to keep their unbeaten record intact, suffering a narrow 3-4 defeat to Chelsea. Nevertheless, they stunned Manchester United, beating them 3-2 in the League Cup to advance to the fourth round.
Chelsea, sixth with seven points, will open Matchday 5 against hosts Brentford, seventh with six points, on Friday in a “West London derby.”
Despite their attacking strength, the “Blues” are struggling defensively, which explains why they have managed only two wins in their first four matches. Their league matches this season have seen 19 goals scored, the highest total in the competition, with 10 goals scored by the team and nine conceded.
Brentford hope to extend their longest unbeaten run in the league, but they are also seeking victories, having drawn 10 times in their last 14 league matches.
Also on Saturday, Hull City aim to continue their successful and unexpected campaign, having collected eight points without a defeat to sit fourth, when they face hosts Newcastle United, 12th with five points.
Tottenham hope to secure their first league win against visitors Aston Villa, who have lost three matches and managed only one point. Meanwhile, Everton will face Ipswich Town, and Nottingham Forest will meet Coventry City.
In the EFL Cup, Brighton added to the misery of hosts Manchester United by eliminating them in the third round with a 3-2 victory.
The “Red Devils” have failed to win for the third consecutive domestic match, following their 0-1 home defeat in the previous league round against their neighbors “City,” who were reduced to 10 men, after having drawn 2-2 with Everton.
This is United’s third defeat in six matches across all competitions, increasing pressure on manager Michael Carrick, as the team’s campaign ended early in the competition. They squandered a two-goal clean-sheet lead, with goals from Shay Lacey (8) and Mason Mount (10), before Brighton responded with a three-goal flurry from Greek Charalampos Kostoulas (45+1), German Pascal Gross (65), and Belgian Maxim De Cuyper (70).
Everton advanced to the fourth round with a 1-0 win over visitors Wolverhampton. Aston Villa also secured their passage by beating hosts Coventry City 3-1.
The draw for the EFL Cup produced a hotly anticipated clash between Liverpool and visitors Chelsea at Anfield in the fourth round, scheduled for late October.
In other matchups, Arsenal will visit fourth-tier Fleetwood Town, Everton will host Newcastle United, and the winner of the Manchester City versus Norwich City tie will face Brighton.
