Brighton 0-1 Arsenal LIVE RESULT: Lacazette scores winner with first touch – Premier League latest reaction

ARTETA ON WHAT ENDING THE WINLESS RUN MEANT FOR HIM

“Obviously results-wise in the last few weeks, we've all been suffering. I've been suffering and I feel very responsible for that. The worst feeling is because I want to do so well for this football club and now, with the moment we are in, I want to bring all of my passion, the knowledge that I have and all the right intentions to move as quickly as we possibly can as a football club. In order to do that we have to win football matches to be stable and win some time and when I don't, I feel that I am letting the club down and the people who work for us down and obviously our fans too. It's draining, it's frustrating and it's painful. But at the same time, I know that we have to fight our way back and difficult moments are when you see the right people giving me a lot of encouragement, because I see people who are willing to fight with me and the people that we have here and then it gives me energy every day to carry on.”

ARTETA ON UPCOMING FIXTURES

“We mentioned earlier in the week that it was a big week for us. We've started the week in a really positive way, now let's carry on. But we know how tough the Premier League is and to win matches is complicated and it doesn't matter where they are at the moment. It will be a fight and we have to be ready for that.”

DUNK ON ARSENAL

“They are not performing as well as they usually do and they are having a tough time at the club.

"But they are a good side with world-class players and they can still beat anyone in this league.

“I am sure they will be working as hard as they can to get to the other end of the table. It will obviously be a tough game, but the last time we played them we beat them, so we know we can take positives out of that. We know we can beat them and hopefully we can do it again."

DRAW ON THE CARDS?

GRAHAM POTTER ON TONIGHT

“It's up to us to play well and win the game, that's what we’re focusing on"

"I don't want to worry too much about what others are doing; Arsenal had a good result against Chelsea, so they will be in a good moment and will have a good feeling.

“We want to turn around our home form; we want to finish the year strongly. We will be trying to recover as best as we can from the West Ham match and get ready for the game.”

ARSENAL SUBS

8. Ceballaos, 9. Lacazette, 13. Runarsson, 15. Maitland-Niles, 17. Cedric, 19. Pepe, 20. Mustafi, 28. Willock, 30. Nketiah

BRIGHTON SUBS

3. White, 7. Connolly, 9. Maupay, 11. Trossard, 18. Welbeck, 20. March, 23. Steele, 29. Zeqiri, 49. Molumby

ARSENAL STARTING XI

Mikel Arteta has opted for a 4-2-3-1 this evening:

1. Leno, 2. Bellerin, 16. Holding, 22. Mari, 3. Tierney, 25. Elneny, 34. Xhaka, 7. Saka, 32. Smith-Rowe, 35. Martinelli, 14. Aubameyang

BRIGHTON STARTING XI

Looks like Graham Potter has opted for a 3-4-2-1 tonight:

31. Sanchez, 4. Webster, 5. Dunk, 8. Bissouma, 10. Mac Allister, 13. Gross, 16. Jahanbaksh, 24. Propper, 30. Bernardo, 33. Burn, 34. Veltman

LEWIS DUNCAN ON CAPTAINING BRIGHTON

MAUPAY ON HIS GOAL AT WEST HAM AND HIS CURRENT FORM

“I have been waiting for that goal. I have struggled for the last few weeks in terms of confidence in getting the goal. But I never give up and keep trying hard. I was relieved on Sunday and even more happy with what the team showed. It's frustrating that we only drew, but the way we fought was good. Any away point is a good outcome.

“As for me, I try to be the best I can – sometimes that doesn't work, but when it doesn't work you have to keep trying. You have to work knowing you have scored goals before and that the goals will come back at some point. If you keep working, things will change for you.

“I am working at being more consistent. As a team, we're not happy with where we are at the minute, but we know what we need to work on and improve. We have confidence and faith that things are going to change and we will climb the table.”

MAUPAY ON BRIGHTON’S BELIEF

“I watched the Arsenal game. They've got good players and they are not in the league position they want to be in or deserve.

“We beat them twice last season so we are not scared, we don't fear any team in this league. We know some teams in the division have got some really good players and managers, but we believe in ourselves and that’s the main thing. If you have that mentality you can always achieve something in a game and that's how we will approach tonight.”

ARSENAL FACTS

Arsenal's Boxing Day victory against Chelsea ended their seven-match winless league run.

The Gunners' three league clean sheets have come in away fixtures.

They have two points fewer than at this stage last season but are 14 adrift of their 2018-19 total.

Mikel Arteta's men have scored just three goals in their past six away league fixtures.

Their 15 goal total is their joint lowest at this stage of a Premier League campaign.

Arsenal could lose their final game of a calendar year for a third straight season.

The 15th-place Gunners have won two of their three games against sides currently below them in the table.

CAN BRIGHTON MAKE IT THREE IN A ROW?

BRIGHTON FACTS

Brighton have won just once in 13 league fixtures, drawing seven and losing on five occasions.

Their sole home win in 16 league matches in 2020 was June's 2-1 victory over Arsenal. They have drawn eight times and suffered seven defeats.

Albion are unbeaten in six matches against fellow sides currently in the bottom half of the table, winning once and drawing five of their games.

Brighton have lost their final game of a calendar year just once in seven seasons.

The fixture will be Graham Potter's 100th league match as a manager in English football.

TONIGHT'S VENUE

OPTA STATS CONTINUED

Since beating Fulham 3-0 away on the opening day this season, Arsenal have netted just three goals across their last six league games on the road. The Gunners have failed to score from open play in their last five away league games, with their two goals in this run both coming from the penalty spot (vs Man Utd and Everton).

Arsenal have kept six clean sheets in their 17 Premier League away games under Mikel Arteta - their previous six away shutouts came across a run of 44 games. However, the Gunners haven't won any of their 11 away league games under Arteta in which they've conceded (D3 L8).

Alexandre Lacazette is Arsenal's top scorer in all competitions this season, with six goals. All four of his goals in the Premier League this season have been the opening goal of the game, accounting for 67 per cent of the times the Gunners have scored first in the competition this term.

OPTA STATS

After winning their first two top-flight away games against Brighton (4-0 in 1979, 1-0 in 1981), the Gunners are winless in their last five league visits to face the Seagulls (D1 L4).

Brighton have lost their final league game in just one of the last seven calendar years (W5 D1), doing so against Ipswich in the Championship in 2015.

Arsenal lost their final league game in both 2018 (1-5 vs Liverpool) and 2019 (1-2 vs Chelsea) - they've not lost their final league game in three consecutive calendar years since doing so between 1947 and 1949.

Brighton have won just one of their 16 home Premier League games in 2020, though that victory did come against Arsenal back in June. No team in Premier League history has won as few as one home game across an entire calendar year (excluding teams that were promoted/relegated).

ARSENAL HAVE A POOR RECORD AT THE AMEX

RECENT HISTORY

Albion and Arsenal have played each other 21 times dating back to 1935.

Albion are unbeaten in their last five matches against the Gunners and have won two out of the three Premier League meetings with them on home soil.

Goals from Glenn Murray and Lewis Dunk sealed a 2-1 victory in March 2018 at the Amex before the sides played out a 1-1 draw in the same fixture later that year.

Brighton won home and away league games against Arsenal last season - they've never won three in a row against the Gunners in league competition before.

BRIGHTON V ARSENAL

GOOD EVENING

Welcome to our live blog of Brighton v Arsenal

Brighton will be hoping to build on their 2-2 draw at West Ham on Sunday; and a victory will take them a point behind Arsenal.

The Gunners were impressive last time out beating Chelsea 3-1 on Boxing Day and Mikel Arteta’s side will be looking to make it back to back wins.

Brighton right-back Tariq Lamptey missed the draw with the Hammers due to a hamstring injury; it’s not thought to be serious and he should return to the starting XI soon.

Ben White could replace the injured Lamptey on the right-hand side if deemed fit, Joel Veltman is also another option Graham Potter could consider.

Midfielder Davy Propper is set to start due to the quick turnaround between fixtures and Adam Lallana is set to miss out with a groin problem.

Arsenal centre-back Gabriel will miss the game and the following fixture at West Brom after testing positive for coronavirus.

David Luiz and Willian are also both set to miss out through illness.

Thomas Partey is back in training after his recent injury however he will not recover in time for the trip to the Amex.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is in line for a recall after he was unused substitute against Chelsea, club record signing Nicolas Pepe could start on the opposite flank.