Arsenal vs Brighton: EFL Cup Pick & Prediction – October 29, 2025
Two of England’s most entertaining clubs clash at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, October 29th, as Premier League leaders Arsenal host Brighton in a highly anticipated EFL Cup fourth-round tie.
The Gunners claimed a 2-0 win over Port Vale in the third round last month, while Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls wrote their name into the competition’s history books with a second consecutive 6-0 victory – this time dismantling Barnsley.
Head-to-Head History (H2H: Arsenal vs Brighton)
Bidding to reach the League Cup quarter-finals for the first time since the 1978-79 campaign, Brighton can take encouragement from their recent visits to North London. The Seagulls defeated Arsenal 3-1 in the third round of the 2022/23 EFL Cup (November 2022) and won three consecutive matches at the Emirates between April 2022 and May 2023. Furthermore, both Premier League meetings between the sides last season ended 1-1, meaning Brighton have lost just one of their last five visits to Arsenal.
All in all, Arsenal still hold the historical edge in this fixture, but Brighton’s recent record against strong opposition, including wins over Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle already in 2025/26, ensures that Mikel Arteta’s Gunners cannot afford to take this match lightly.
Arsenal: Current Form and Team News
It’s been an almost flawless start to the season for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who lead the Premier League table by four points after Sunday’s hard-fought 1-0 win over London rivals Crystal Palace, secured by another moment of quality from summer signing Eberechi Eze.
Unbeaten in 10 straight games across all competitions, the Gunners have won seven on the bounce and kept five consecutive clean sheets in the process, underscoring their sophisticated defensive maturity. Yet, that discipline will now be tested by a Brighton side that thrives in high-tempo attacking transitions.
Arsenal’s third-round EFL Cup tie against Port Vale ended in a 2-0 victory through goals from Eze and Leandro Trossard, and the squad’s depth should once again be on display this week.
However, Arteta has fitness concerns. Riccardo Calafiori, William Saliba, Declan Rice, and Gabriel Martinelli all picked up knocks against Crystal Palace, while long-term absentees Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, and skipper Martin Ødegaard, all remain sidelined.
Squad rotation is inevitable given the demanding schedule. Expect Piero Hincapie to make his full debut in defense, prodigy Ethan Nwaneri to challenge for a starting berth on the right, while Christian Norgaard should start in central midfield.
Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres is expected to be given another chance to spearhead the attack against his former club, as the Swedish striker is still searching for his rhythm following his summer departure from Lisbon. Gyokeres bagged a brace during Arsenal’s impressive 4-0 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid last week, but domestically he is yet to score since mid-September, when he found the net in a 3-0 league victory over Nottingham Forest.
It remains to be seen whether experienced Belgian winger Leandro Trossard will be handed another start against his former club, or if Gabriel Martinelli will be restored to the starting XI.
Brighton: Current Form and Team News
Brighton continue to captivate neutrals with their fearless attacking brand of football under Fabian Hurzeler, who has built on the tactical foundations laid by Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi. The young German manager has maintained Brighton’s hallmark of fluid positional play, quick transitions, and bold pressing, making the Seagulls one of the Premier League’s most progressive sides.
However, the Seagulls were brought back to reality at Old Trafford on Saturday, where they found themselves 3-0 down to Manchester United before staging a spirited late fightback that made the closing stages far more intriguing, eventually falling to a 4-2 defeat. The result ended Brighton’s five-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Their 12 unanswered goals across the first two rounds of this season’s League Cup made history, with Diego Gomez stealing headlines after scoring four times in the 6-0 demolition of Barnsley – becoming the first player to net four in an away EFL Cup tie since Julio Baptista in Arsenal’s 6-3 win at Liverpool on 9 January 2007.
The Paraguayan will be keen to be among the starters at the Emirates, having been introduced as a second-half substitute for Yasin Ayari at Old Trafford last weekend.
Injury issues remain a concern for Fabian Hurzeler’s side. Joel Veltman, Brajan Gruda, and Kaoru Mitoma are close to returning and will be assessed ahead of kickoff, while Adam Webster, Solly March, and Jack Hinshelwood all remain long-term absentees.
It has also been confirmed that veteran James Milner will miss the midweek clash due to a “small muscle issue,” meaning Carlos Baleba should retain his place in midfield despite an underwhelming display at Old Trafford. Elsewhere, Barnsley hero Diego Gómez is expected to start once again.
Greek teenager Charalampos Kostoulas opened his scoring account for Brighton with the second goal against Manchester United, but Danny Welbeck is still expected to retain his place up front. With no European commitments to worry about, Brighton have every reason to field their strongest possible starting XI in North London.
Wednesday’s Tactical Duel: Mikel Arteta vs Fabian Hurzeler
With both teams boasting expansive attacking styles and strong squad depth, this midweek cup tie promises rotation, tactical intrigue and hopefully goals in North London on Wednesday night.
Wednesday’s clash pits Arteta’s structured positional play against Hürzeler’s fluid, pressing-heavy 4-2-3-1 system. Arsenal will look to control possession through Merino and Eze, building patiently from the back, while Brighton will rely on quick central overloads and vertical switches toward Minteh and Gomez.
Expect Arsenal’s young wingers and full-backs to play high up the pitch, which could leave space for Brighton’s counter-attacks – a scenario where the Seagulls thrive. The battle in midfield, especially, will likely dictate the tempo of the game.
Possible Starting Lineups of Arsenal and Brighton
Arsenal: Kepa Arrizabalaga – Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Myles Lewis-Skelly – Eberechi Eze, Christian Norgaard, Mikel Merino – Ethan Nwaneri, Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard. (4-3-3)
Brighton: Jason Steele – Mats Wieffer, Lewis Dunk, Olivier Boscagli, Maxim De Cuyper – Carlos Baleba, Yasin Ayari – Diego Gomez, Georginio Rutter, Yankuba Minteh – Danny Welbeck. (4-2-3-1)
Arsenal vs Brighton Betting Prediction and Odds
Arsenal enter Wednesday’s clash as firm -222 favorites with EveryGame, while Brighton’s hopes of halting the Gunners’ winning streak are valued at +525, and a draw is available at +350.
Despite Arsenal’s staggering defensive form – just three goals conceded throughout the campaign – the combination of a quick turnaround between games, multiple injuries/knocks, and anticipated rotations could leave them slightly exposed. Brighton, meanwhile, will travel fresh and full-strength, aiming to extend their brilliant EFL Cup run.
Even with Arsenal’s defensive resilience, this looks like the type of high-intensity midweek cup clash where both teams find the net. The Gunners’ quality and depth should still see them through, but expect the Seagulls to make them work for it in an entertaining contest at the Emirates.