Happy Boxing Day everyone! The day after Christmas is a holiday in English-speaking countries outside the United States, and football has become the best way to celebrate it. There will be nine Premier League games on Boxing Day, and there will be a rare quadruple header to maximize the entertainment. The third game of that nationally televised slate will be the tilt between hard-charging Arsenal and middle of the table Brighton & Hove Albion.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from American Express Community Stadium in Falmer, England at 12:15 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
English Premier League Betting at BookMaker.eu
Brighton & Hove Albion +389
Arsenal -147
Draw +286
Over/Under 2.5 and 3
Odds Analysis
Arsenal are tied with Chelsea at fourth in the table following a Gunners win coupled with a Blues loss. The club has gotten off to a promising start under new manager Unai Emery, and they are gunning for their first top four finish in three years. On Saturday, Arsenal didn’t have too much trouble beating bottom of the table Burnley. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a brace shortly after halftime, and although the Clarets halved the lead 15 minutes later, Alex Iwobi locked up the three points in extra time.
The Seagulls have hit a bit of a rough patch, and they have been sitting on 21 points for a while. Albion have not been able to win any of their last three games, and their last win came over Crystal Palace at the beginning of the month. Interestingly enough, the club’s games have been marked by foul play over the last six weeks. In five of the seven matches a red card was shown, and four of those were seen before the 35-minute mark. Three of those red cards went to Brighton players with Dale Stephens, Shane Duffy, and Lewis Dunk all being sent off.
Key Injuries
Five players have been ruled out for this match for Arsenal. Konstantinos, Rob Holding, Emile Smith Rowe, Danny Welbeck, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan will all be sidelined for this one. Of those five, Holding and Welbeck are long-term injuries, while the other three are expected to return at the start of next month. Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin have been listed as doubtful, while Shkodran Mustafi is questionable.
Those red cards have taken away one of Brighton’s best players for this match. Dunk will sit this one out due to suspension, but Duffy will return after a three-game absence. Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Jose Izquierdo have both been declared doubtful.
Player to Watch
Aubmaeyang is leading the Premier League in goals with 12 heading into the halfway point of the season, and he is aiming to become the first Arsenal player to win the Premier League Golden Boot since Robin van Persie did it seven years ago. It will be an uphill battle with his favorite set-up man Mkhitaryan out for at least this game and perhaps longer, but he has shown himself to be a capable finisher.
Prop Bet of the Game – Arsenal Highest Scoring Half is Second Half +130
Coming into this match, Arsenal are 11-4-3, yet Saturday was the first time all season that the Gunners were ahead at halftime. They have been a second half team throughout the year, and that should be about the time they wear Brighton down. Arsenal are somewhat banged up, but they are likely going to be too much for Albion nonetheless.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Buckle up, because I think we are in for a treat with this game. Arsenal have been playing well, and they continue to play high-scoring games. The Seagulls have shown they aren’t afraid to trade punches with the big boys at home in tilts with Chelsea and Manchester City, and that will make this a high scoring affair.
English Premier League Odds: Arsenal 3, Brighton & Hove Albion 2
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