Arsenal mean business at the start of 2024/25 and aim to maintain their 100% record in the Premier League when they host Brighton at the Emirates.
The Gunners have had an excellent start to the new season, with a comfortable win over Wolves followed by a revenge victory over Aston Villa, who they lost twice last season.
Arsenal have some gears to go through and Brighton will put them to the test this weekend. The Seagulls look reborn under Fabian Hurzeler and, like Saturday's opponents, have won their opening two games of the season.
Mikel Arteta won't make major changes to his starting XI, but there could be a subtle tweak or two. Here is a list to choose from when visiting Brighton.
GK: David Raya – Raya may have produced his best Premier League performance in Arsenal colors last weekend as he played a key role in the Gunners' big away win. The Spanish are two-fold when it comes to cleaning the sheets.
RB: Ben White – The already adored White rose to the top of Arsenal fans' ratings when he kicked John McGinn last weekend after the Scot did the same to William Saliba.
CB: William Saliba – Speaking of which, Saliba was good last weekend as he had a bad start to the season against Wolves.
CB: Gabriel – It's been a strong start to the season for Gabriel, who already has competition at the level of Riccardo Calafiori. For now, the Brazilian remains a strong first choice for Saliba's teammates.
LB: Jurrien Timber – Timber produced a good, rusty start last weekend, but Arteta must be patient with the Dutchman and allow him to get up to speed again. Calafiori is another option, but Timber should get the nod given his one-on-one skills and the presence of Yankuba Minteh down Brighton's right.
DM: Thomas Partey – The Ghanaian offers undeniable quality to have but little control over changes and formations. Arsenal have dealt with trade so far, but it won't be long until Partey is out of the starting XI.
CM: Declan Rice – The £105m man enters the new season slowly following a busy summer. He looked like he had a leg in the first two games and Arteta now has Mikel Merino to call upon. Rice will not be out of the XI, however.
CM: Martin Odegaard – The Arsenal captain has impressed in the game of late, but superstitious Hurzeler will make a concerted effort to ensure that Odegaard doesn't dictate the next step.
RW: Bukayo Saka – Saka has delivered many key moments for Arsenal at the start of the new season, recording three contributions in two games. The Gunners star has Jack Hinshelwood in his possession.
ST: Kai Havertz – Arteta will turn to Havertz to slot into Brighton's top defensive line on Saturday. Manchester United could not make good use of the space given to them at the back, but Havertz is very good at timing his runs and can have plenty of joy.
LW: Leandro Trossard – Gabriel Martinelli struggled last weekend and his replacement, Trossard, made an impact off the bench. The Belgian should start against his former club this weekend.
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