A cool evening in North London sets the stage for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup fourth-round encounter with Brighton & Hove Albion, taking place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 19:45 BST inside the Emirates Stadium. The atmosphere around the ground is lively yet focused, as Arsenal look to continue their strong domestic form while giving valuable minutes to several squad players. Brighton arrive knowing they’ve caused the Gunners problems in previous cup outings, adding an extra edge to what promises to be a tactical and competitive midweek battle.
Arsenal’s preparations have been hampered slightly by fitness concerns. Mikel Arteta will be without William Saliba, who suffered a knock in the recent Premier League win, and Gabriel Martinelli, who limped off after the same match. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have recovered from minor issues and are expected to feature, while Riccardo Calafiori has also been cleared to play. For Brighton, Fabian Hürzeler’s side continue to manage a long injury list — Kaoru Mitoma, Solly March, Adam Webster, Jack Hinshelwood, and Joel Veltman are all ruled out, while young attacker Brajan Gruda remains sidelined with a knee injury. Both managers are expected to rotate but still field competitive lineups, with several academy players expected to make the bench.
Tactically, Arteta is expected to stick with his aggressive, possession-based structure, likely lining up in a flexible 4-3-3 that shifts into a 3-2-5 when building from the back. Expect Arsenal to control the ball through quick combinations, pressing high and using width through players like Reiss Nelson and Leandro Trossard. Hürzeler, meanwhile, has built Brighton around a structured counter-attacking approach, often starting in a compact 4-2-3-1 before pushing his wingers higher when transitions open up. His side will look to exploit any defensive gaps behind Arsenal’s full-backs, particularly targeting spaces left by overlapping runs.
The British press has been buzzing about this clash, focusing on Arsenal’s squad depth and the challenge of balancing domestic and cup competitions. Many pundits have noted how Arteta’s side, currently leading the Premier League, are eager to prove their bench strength, especially with players like Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah pushing for starts. Brighton, despite their injuries, are being praised for their resilience and commitment to an attractive brand of football under Hürzeler. The headlines frame this as a test of adaptability — Arsenal’s technical dominance versus Brighton’s tactical discipline.
In television studios, analysts have been divided. Some point out Arsenal’s fatigue risk given their congested schedule, questioning whether their rotated squad can maintain the same tempo and intensity. Others believe this is the perfect opportunity for fringe players to shine in front of the home crowd. The Brighton discussions have centered around their pressing patterns and whether their younger midfielders can cope with Arsenal’s fluid movements. Most predictions lean toward an Arsenal victory, but the overall tone is cautious — Brighton’s ability to unsettle possession-heavy teams remains one of their most dangerous traits heading into this London showdown.
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