Arsenal venture outside London for the first time since November with a trip to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Gunners got through their devastating clashes without much fanfare, recording seven wins from nine matches. The only setbacks for Mikel ArtetaThe team tied twice with Fulham and Everton.
A short trip to the south coast this weekend precedes a series of five straight matches across four different competitions at Emirates Stadium. Before returning to the comforts of home, here's how Arteta can prepare for the rare trip outside the M25.
Goalkeeper: David Raya – Thinking back to his playing days which included winning promotion to the top flight,… Premier League GOLDEN GLOVE AND EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP Last summer, Raya claimed a three-month loan at Stockport as “the best of my career”. “We trained at the local university,” he recalls sadly. “You took your gear home to wash up, and came with your bag and towel.”
Right-back: Thomas Partey – Perhaps apart from Pep Guardiola's praise of a defeated opponent, there are few things in the Premier League as unconvincing as Thomas Partey's ability to play at right-back. Brighton's fleet of flying wingers will look to undermine their natural midfielder further this weekend.
Centre-back: William Saliba – Arsenal's Player of the Year 2024 He started 2025 with another strong display against Brentford.
Center back: Gabriel Magalhaes – The match with Brighton is always a tough one for Gabriel. Arsenal's Brazilian centre-back has lost as many teeth as he lost in matches against the Seagulls (three in each game).
LB: Miles Lewis Skelly – The teenage stand-in has blossomed into a competent player over the past couple of weeks. After Riccardo Calafiore Rusty back to work Against Brentford in midweek, Lewis Skelly may be called upon again to avoid tiring the Italian.
Midfielder: Martin Odegaard – Hans-Erik Odegaard, Martin's father and a former Norwegian Premier League midfielder, was part of a group of parents who paid £50,000 to refurbish the local stadium in Drammen, where his son spent hours honing his skills.
CM: Declan Rice – Forced into the unaccustomed substitute role twice in the last fortnight as Arteta has been able to manage the midfielder's minutes late on, Arsenal could do so with rice In the starting lineup for a tough trip south.
CM: Mikel Merino – The awe in Merino's voice when he described his first few training sessions at Arsenal was palpable. “It's amazing,” the midfielder said enthusiastically. “They're doing some things I've never seen before in my career.” Maybe he didn't watch Amazon A documentary that highlighted Arteta's use of light bulbs, extension cords and pitchside speakers.
Right wing: Gabriel Martinelli – João Carlos, Martinelli's father, was a strict coach. “I always told him that a professional footballer should be able to shoot with both feet,” he recalls. “You're never going to be perfect on your weaker side, but it has to be an option. He was taking 150 shots with just his left foot. It seems like I'm exaggerating, but I'm not.” Training hasn't quite been perfect – Martinelli's left-footed conversion rate (11.7%) isn't as good as his stronger team's (16.5%).
ST: Gabriel Jesus – Nearly a quarter of Jesus' career goals Arsenal He has arrived in his last four matches.
Left wing: Leandro Trossard – Described as “a bit of a whiner” by Arteta earlier this week, the former Brighton striker will be on the end of some obnoxious moaning and prodding when he returns to the AMEX.