Arsenal vs Brighton
Expect goals in this fourth round contest in North London
Arsenal meet Brighton in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners picked up several injuries at the weekend with Declan Rice, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli all sustaining knocks of varying degrees against Crystal Palace, and Mikel Arteta will shuffle his pack for this midweek contest. It's been a busy period for the Gunners, who have looked imperious at times, and the likes of Myles Lewis Skelly, Ethan Mwaneri, and even Max Dowman may be called into action on Wednesday.
Regardless of the personnel, Arteta will still expect his side to play with the same level of intensity, and they should be able to create plenty of chances. They were completely ruthless in the previous round of the competition, barely giving Port Vale a sniff, although this will be slightly tougher.
Brighton were involved in yet another topsy-turvy contest at the weekend, and as predicted on here, their match ended up as another goal-fest. Except for their 3-1 success over Chelsea, the Seagulls have looked poor away from home, and they were helped in that game by the Blues' indiscipline.
They have won each of their two previous EFL Cup ties 6-0, yet this is several notches up. Nevertheless, players such as Diego Gomes and Tommy Watson will be keen to impress, and they will look to take advantage of Arsenal's absentees. Fabian Hurzeler's side rarely sits back, and they keep going until the end, so we can expect plenty of drama at both ends.
Jack’s football journey began in the early 2000s at Bloomfield Road, sparking a lifelong passion for the EFL and beyond. With over a decade of writing and tipping experience, he delivers sharp insights and value-driven betting advice across football, darts, tennis, and horse racing.
When he’s not analysing stats, Jack is on commentary duty for Stoke City and occasionally heard at Owlerton Greyhound Stadium. Based in Leeds, he’s as reliable with a brew as he is with a bet.