Arsenal’s latest stop on a demanding run away from north London takes them to Brighton on Saturday, where Mikel Arteta expects another difficult afternoon against a club he says he greatly respects. The Premier League champions return to the south coast for the first time since March’s tense 1-0 victory, a match followed by a brief disagreement between the two managers that has since been settled.
Key takeaways
- Arsenal arrive at Brighton with four Premier League wins from four and seven victories in seven matches across all competitions.
- The trip is Arsenal’s fourth successive fixture on the road, following wins at Napoli, Sunderland and Ipswich Town.
- Fabian Hürzeler apologised to Arteta by text after criticising Arsenal’s management of corner kicks in March.
- Arteta says Arsenal and their manager share the same ambitions as discussions over his longer-term future continue.
- An international break of three weeks begins after Saturday’s match.
A return to Brighton after March tension
Arsenal had to work hard for their narrow win at Brighton in March while pushing towards last season’s title. Hürzeler was unhappy with the way the visitors used time during corner situations and made his concerns public after the game.
The Brighton coach later contacted Arteta to apologise, and the Arsenal manager indicated that the matter no longer carries any weight ahead of the return fixture. “That is in the past now,” Arteta said. “I have great respect for Fabian and for what Brighton have achieved as a club.”
Rather than revisiting that episode, Arteta’s focus is on the challenge posed by Brighton at home. “We face a very tough opponent tomorrow and we will have to earn the right to win,” he said.
Arsenal seek to extend a perfect start
The league leaders have collected 12 points from a possible 12 and have won every one of their seven games in all competitions so far. Brighton is the last leg of an unusually travel-heavy sequence: Arsenal won 1-0 at Napoli in the Champions League, beat Sunderland 2-0 in the league, then went to Ipswich Town on Wednesday and prevailed 4-2 in the League Cup round of 32.
Arteta acknowledged the strain that comes with repeated journeys, but believes his side have dealt with the schedule convincingly. “It is one of the challenges of the calendar, but the team have responded very well and played with real authority,” he said.
For the Basque coach, venue should not alter Arsenal’s intention. “Whether we are at home or away does not really matter; we want to create the same problems for the opponent,” he added.
The match will be followed by a three-week international window, which could provide time for progress on an extension to Arteta’s contract. He has led Arsenal since December 2019 and is currently tied to the club until 2027.
Arteta said there is no difference in outlook between himself and the club over what comes next. “I think we are completely aligned,” he said. “We have the same ambition and the same desire, so we will sort it out when we have the time.”
