Brighton vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Relive all the action from the Amex Stadium
High-flying Brighton missed the chance to go level on points with Premier League leaders Chelsea following a drab goalless draw which ended resurgent Arsenal’s winning run.
Albion edged a rain-soaked encounter at the Amex Stadium but managed just two attempts on target as Leandro Trossard, Dan Burn and Neal Maupay each failed to capitalise on decent openings.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang headed against the outside of a post for the uninspiring Gunners, who were denied a fourth victory on the bounce having begun the campaign with three successive defeats.
The Seagulls sit fifth with 14 points from seven games, with Mikel Arteta’s visitors four places and as many points further back.
Relive all the action below:
Team news
The teams are out! Bissouma fails a late fitness test and misses out for the Seagulls. Arteta makes just one enforced change from the side that beat Tottenham, with Lokonga coming in for Xhaka.
Brighton XI: Sanchez, Dunk, Duffy, Burn, Cucurella, Groß, Lallana, Veltman, Moder, Trossard, Maupay
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Lokonga, Smith Rowe, Odegaard, Saka, Aubameyang
Potter backs White to succeed at Arsenal
This match will see Ben White return to the Amex Stadium after his £50m move to Arsenal this summer. The centre-back is still settling in at his new club and wasn’t included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad. However, Graham Potter is sure the 23-year-old will justify the large fee.
“Whenever you move club, it’s not a straightforward situation, it’s not so easy to hit the ground running,” said Potter, referring to White’s underwhelming Arsenal debut.
“I think Arsenal as a team had a tough game against Brentford, but that was the first game of the season and they had lots of issues in terms of Covid, so it was not the perfect situation for him.
“But Ben’s a resilient character, a fantastic footballer, a great guy, we all love him here, so apart from obviously the weekend we wish him well – and I’m sure he will do well.
“It (the transfer) was one of those things, I think everybody won from that situation: we got a good fee, they got a good player, Ben gets a chance to play at a club that he sees as a progression for him, so everybody wins.”
Arteta’s ‘stomach hurts’ at lack of European football
Arsenal’s failure to qualify for European football last season meant they have enjoyed almost a full week’s preparation for this fixture. While that should come as a benefit to their hopes this afternoon, Mikel Arteta admitted his “stomach hurts” every time he hears the Champions League theme tune.
“Maybe my family and my kids are happy because they see me more, but I want to be playing in Europe, to be competing there,” the Spaniard said.
“Every time I hear the Champions League music, my stomach hurts and it is not where we want to be. It is not something that I enjoy.
“We have to make the most out of it because we have more time during the week to prepare for the game at the weekend, but it is certainly not where we want to be.”
In-form Brighton host resurgent Arsenal
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage as Brighton welcome Arsenal to the Amex Stadium this afternoon.
Graham Potter’s side have enjoyed a magnificent start to the season, taking 13 points from their opening six games, with Neal Maupay’s last-gasp equaliser salvaging a point against rivals Crystal Palace earlier this week.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have recovered from the disastrous start that briefly left them bottom of the Premier League table. Narrow victories against Norwich and Burnley were followed by an emphatic trouncing of Tottenham in the north London derby, with the pressure easing on Mikel Arteta.
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