Arsenal vs Brighton prediction: team news, kick-off context and key talking pointsArsenal return to Premier League action looking to consolidate their position at the summit, with Brighton arriving

Preview the matchup between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion with predictions, odds, over/under, betting lines and more.

After a brief holiday respite, the Gunners welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Emirates for the penultimate match of the 2025 calendar year at their home turf. Arsenal have been in puzzling form over the last two weeks.

One of those games was the controversial fixture which saw Declan Rice sent off but across both games, Brighton generated more xG overall (3.28) than Arsenal did (3.02). With quite a few of his squad returning from injury, coupled with a full week's worth of rest in a busy December, Brighton ought to be the fresher side.

Leaders Arsenal continue their title challenge against a Brighton side they have defeated just three times in the past eight Premier League meetings at home. BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of their meeting at Emirates Stadium (15:00 GMT).

Manchester City and Aston Villa both dropped points this week thanks to respective draws with Brighton and Crystal Palace, gifting Arsenal a chance to extend their lead in the Premier League against L