Arsenal travel outside of London for the first time since November when they visit Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Gunners have overcome their wealth of capital clashes without much fanfare, claiming seven wins from nine games. The only stops for Mikel ArtetaThe team had a couple of draws with Fulham and Everton.
This weekend’s short trip to the south coast precedes a run of five consecutive meetings across four different competitions at the Emirates Stadium. Before returning to the comforts of home, here’s how Arteta could line up for a rare trip beyond the M25.
GK: David Raya – Looking back on his playing days which included winning the first division, Premier League A Golden Glove and European Championship winner last summer, Ray called his three-month loan at Stockport “the best of my career”. “We trained at the local university,” he recalled wistfully. “You took your equipment home to wash, you came with a bag, a towel.”
RB: Thomas Partey – Perhaps apart from Pep Guardiola’s praise for a beaten opponent, there are few things in the Premier League as inconclusive as Thomas Partey’s ability to play at right-back. Brighton’s fleet of flying wingers will look to undermine the natural midfielder even more this weekend.
CB: William Saliba – Arsenal’s outstanding player in 2024 started 2025 with another great performance against Brentford.
CB: Gabriel Magalhaes – The game against Brighton is always a scary game for Gabriel. Arsenal’s Brazilian central defender lost as many teeth as the game against the Seagulls (three each).
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly – The teenage replacement has blossomed into a competent starter over the past two weeks. After Riccardo Calafiori a rusty return to action against Brentford in midweek, Lewis-Skelly could be called upon again to avoid overstretching the Italian.
CM: Martin Odegaard – Hans Erik Odegaard, Martin’s father and a former top midfielder in Norway, was part of a group of parents who set aside £50,000 to refurbish the local playground in Drammen, where his son spent hours honing his skills.
CM: Declan Rice – Forced into the unusual role of a substitute twice in the last two weeks, with Arteta commanding the midfielder’s playing time late on, Arsenal could satisfy Rice in the starting XI for the tough trip down south.
CM: Mikel Merino – The awe in Merino’s voice as he described his first few training sessions at Arsenal was palpable. “It’s something that’s unbelievable,” the midfielder said. “They’re doing some things I’ve never seen in my career.” Maybe he wasn’t looking Amazon documentary that highlighted Arteta’s use of light bulbs, extension cords and speakers on the tone side.
RW: Gabriel Martinelli – Joao Carlos, Martinelli’s father, was a strict coach. I always told him that a professional soccer player must know how to shoot with both feet, he recalled. “You’re not going to be perfect on your weaker side, but you have to have it as an option. You’d take 150 shots, just with your left foot. It sounds like I’m exaggerating, but I’m not.” Practice hasn’t been perfect – Martinelli’s left-footed conversion rate (11.7%) isn’t as good as his forte (16.5%).
ST: Gabriel Jesus – Almost a quarter of Jesus’ career goals for Arsenal have come in his last four appearances.
LW: Leandro Trossard – Described by Arteta as “a bit of a whiner” earlier this week, the former Brighton striker will be on the receiving end of some awkward moans and groans on his return to the AMEX.
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