Now that transfer deadline day has passed, attention is returning to the on-field action as Arsenal gets ready to take on Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. With victories over Wolves and Aston Villa, Arsenal enters this game with a perfect record and nine points from nine games. With back-to-back away games against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City approaching, these victories have prepared the team for a pivotal time.
But Mikel Arteta’s somber update regarding injuries has soured the atmosphere. The manager of Arsenal confirmed to the media on Friday that Mikel Merino, the team’s summer acquisition, has suffered a serious shoulder injury. This injury will at the very least keep the midfield player out of action for a few weeks, which will be detrimental to Arsenal’s plans as they attempt to overcome this difficult stretch of the season.
In the meantime, Brighton has replicated Arsenal’s early-season success, drawing even with the Gunners on points following commanding wins over Manchester United and Everton. Together with new signing Yankuba Minteh, former Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck has had a great start to the season.
This game could provide Arsenal’s summer acquisition Riccardo Calafiori a chance to establish himself. Furthermore, there’s growing expectation that former Brighton player Leandro Trossard will be given a starting position, especially after his recent outings. Thomas Partey is under increasing pressure to step up in the midfield now that Merino is out, and it’s still unclear who will play left back.
As the match gets closer this afternoon, Tom Canton and Kaya Kaynak are at the Emirates Stadium, giving live updates and team news.
The decision to send Declan Rice off, in particular, caused controversy regarding the players’ performances during the match. It was a foolish move for Rice to kick the ball away while already on a yellow card, even though the red card was thought to be harsh. On the plus side, Ben White had a forgettable day, but Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka both gave excellent performances.
The match ultimately resulted in a 1-1 draw, which was significantly impacted by referee Chris Kavanagh’s perplexing decision to send Rice off. Despite this, Havertz and Saka both missed opportunities to win the game, giving Arsenal the chance to take all three points.
David Raya’s second crucial save of the game kept the score tied by stopping Brighton’s Ayari’s shot with his legs, guaranteeing Arsenal would leave the game with atleast a point.
