Arsenal on Top this Christmas, but Face Stubborn Brighton | OneFootball

Arsenal celebrated Christmas on top of the Premier League once again. It is a familiar position that brings both belief and bad memories of unfinished business. For the fifth time in the club’s history, the Gunners are festive favourites, matching the seasons of 2002-03, 2007-08, 2022-23 and 2023-24. The uncomfortable truth, though, is that they have never gone on to lift the title from this position.

That weight of history hangs particularly heavy over manager Mikel Arteta. This is now the third time his Arsenal side has led the league at Christmas, and no manager in Premier League history has topped the table three times at this stage without eventually winning the competition. Arsenal’s quest to finally turn festive promise into May glory continues on Saturday against Brighton, a fixture that has quietly become one of the more awkward tests at the Emirates.

A Tough Fixture History

Arsenal are unbeaten at home this season, yet their record against Brighton in north London is far from dominant. They have won just three of their eight Premier League home games against the Seagulls (38%), a lower win rate than against almost any other opponent they have faced regularly. Notably, all three of those victories came by the same 2-0 scoreline, with Arsenal failing to win any of the five Emirates meetings in which they conceded.

Recent meetings underline how fine the margins can be. Brighton are winless in their last four league games against Arsenal, but last season they twice came from behind to draw 1-1, including the controversial Emirates clash that still clearly rankles with Arteta. Declan Rice’s red card that day left Arsenal clinging on with ten men, and the manager has not forgotten it.

Discipline & Form

“I remember very well,” Arteta said. “I was very hacked off with the manner in which we played with ten men. So hopefully it is going to be very different this time.”

That draw came during a chaotic stretch last season when Arsenal picked up a series of costly red cards. This campaign, discipline has improved markedly, to the point where Arteta was surprised to learn his side is currently top of the Fair Play League. “I didn’t know,” he smiled. “That is good, very good.”

On the pitch, Arsenal look far more rounded. David Raya is set to make his 150th Premier League appearance, and since his debut in August 2021, no goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets in the competition than the Spaniard (58). At the other end, the squad is gradually being reinforced. Kai Havertz is back in training and “days, not weeks” away from a return, while Gabriel Jesus is building fitness after another run out against Crystal Palace in midweek.

There are still defensive concerns, with Gabriel yet to return, but Arteta highlighted the importance of Riccardo Calafiori, who ranks among the league’s top five players for being dribbled past least this season. “Those stats are really important, especially if they’re still aggressive to win the ball,” Arteta said. “I don’t want players just going backwards. Those two have a great mindset.”

Seagulls Seek Balance

Brighton arrive in north London searching for consistency. Fabian Hurzeler’s side have failed to score in their last two league matches and have not gone three consecutive Premier League games without a goal since January. December has also been an unkind month for their manager: Brighton have never won a Premier League match in December under Hurzeler, with ten games yielding six draws and four defeats.

Yet belief remains within the Brighton camp. Attacker Brajan Gruda insists the Seagulls are capable of troubling anyone when they hit their stride. “They are a very good team,” he said of Arsenal. “It’s going to be difficult, but I trust in my team, and I trust in myself. If we give 100%, we can do anything.”

Arteta, meanwhile, struck a familiar balance between respect and focus. “It is a club that I admire a lot,” he said of Brighton. “A lot of energy, a really committed team… it will be a tough match.”

For Arsenal, though, the narrative is bigger than this match alone. Christmas top spot is welcome, but meaningless unless it leads somewhere new. Against Brighton, Arteta’s side have another chance to prove that this season’s title race will finally end differently.