Brighton v Arsenal: Premier League – live!

“Quite an odd line-up for Arsenal, if they are playing 4-2-3-1, with three wingers on the team sheet,” says Marty Bull. “Do you think they will play Pepe in the middle, or 5 at the back with wing-backs?”

I think they’ll play 4-2-3-1 with Pepe in the middle, but that’s just a guess. I’m no tactics tsar.

It has finished Watford 1-1 Leicester in the lunchtime game. Ben Chilwell gave Leicester the lead with a screamer in the 90th minute; Craig Dawson equalised in injury time with a spectacular overhead kick.

“Afternoon Rob,” says Geoff Wignall. “I can’t help thinking that Brighton (and Hove, as I’ve lived in both) could be the team punished by David Luiz’s absence.”

Brighton (4-2-3-1) Ryan; Schelotto, Dunk, Webster, Burn; Propper, Bissouma; Gross, Mooy, Trossard; Maupay.
Substitutes: Button, Lamptey, Duffy, Montoya, Mac Allister, Stephens, March, Murray, Connolly.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Kolasinac; Ceballos, Guendouzi; Saka, Pepe, Aubameyang; Lacazette.
Substitutes: Martinez, Tierney, Medley, Ozil, Maitland-Niles, Willock, Martinelli, Nelson, Nketiah.

It’s Saturday, it’s 3pm and it’s live? Bob Lord will be spinning in his grave. This match between Brighton and Arsenal – and the one running simultaneously between West Brom and Birmingham in the Championship – is the first English league game to kick off at 3pm on Saturday and be shown on television. To some it’s sacrilege, to others a logical compromise. I’ll level with you: I can see both sides!

The match itself may also sit on the fence. Brighton and Arsenal are among the Premier League’s draw specialists, with 24 between them this season. Brighton are in 15th, two points above the relegation places. Since their 2-1 victory at Arsenal in early December, they have won only one out of 14 league games, with eight draws in that time.

Brighton were only a point behind Arsenal after that win in December. Now they are 11 points apart. Arsenal’s form picked up after Christmas, and they were unbeaten in the league in 2020 before David Luiz’s Chaplinesque display at the Etihad on Wednesday. A Champions League place is not beyond the realms, but the Europa League is a more realistic target. Both teams could really do with a win today, though that hasn’t stopped them drawing in the past.

Kick off Don’t play silly buggers, you know full well when the kick off is.