Arsenal vs Brighton LIVE: Premier League latest team news and line-ups as Leandro Trossard starts

Arsenal take on Brighton as the aftermath of the frantic transfer deadline day is replaced by the Premier League action on the pitch. The Gunners completed the signing of Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling in the early hours of Saturday morning.

But Arsenal were dealt a blow ahead of the match with new signing Mikel Merino ruled out for a “few weeks” with a shoulder injury suffered during an innocuous challenge in training.

Arsenal have won three of their last four matches against Brighton, and will be looking to add to that and secure a ninth successive win for the first time since a spell during the ‘Invincibles’ season in 2003-04.

Mikel Arteta has set his ambitions high this season having been pipped to the title in two successive seasons by Manchester City, and both teams have won both matches to open the season.

Follow all the action in the live blog below:

Arsenal vs Brighton LIVE

• Arsenal vs Brighton kicks off at 12.30pm BST in the Premier League, live on TNT

• Arsenal and Brighton have won both games so far this season

• Arsenal dealt a blow with Mikel Merino injury but sign Raheem Sterling

• Billy Gilmour joins Italian club Napoli in £12m deal

• Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Gabriel, Saliba, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Partey; Saka, Havertz, Trossard

• Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Hinshelwood; Milner, Baleba; Minteh, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck.

Arsenal FC – Brighton & Hove Albion FC

Arsenal aiming for ninth PL win in a row

12:01 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal have the chance to match a 20-year record match Brighton today. The Gunners have not won nine Premier League matches in a row since the ‘Invincibles’ season.

“That would show unbelievable consistency,” Mikel Arteta said.

“It’s already difficult to do what we’ve done, but we want to be better and tomorrow we are going to have to really earn it because we are going to face a really good Brighton side.”

Arsenal’s longest ever winning run in the Premier League is 14 matches, which was set in 2002.

Bukayo Saka has chance to equal Thierry Henry record for Arsenal

11:46 , Jamie Braidwood

After contributions in the wins over Wolves and Aston Villa, Bukayo Saka could become the first Arsenal player since Thierry Henry in 2004-05 to assist a goal in the first three games of a top-flight season.

Meanwhile, in 2024, only Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland have been involved in as many Premier League goals as Kai Havertz. The German has also scored in each of his last three league meetings with Brighton, including the 3-0 win at the Amex last season.

Brighton looking to maintain winning start under Fabian Hurzeler

11:31 , Jamie Braidwood

Fabian Hurzeler is the first Brighton boss to win his opening two league games in charge since Micky Adams in April 1999. The 31-year-old has so far overseen a thumping win against Everton and a dramatic late victory against Manchester United last weekend.

In fact, Brighton could win their opening three games of a Premier League season for the first time, if they win at Arsenal this afternoon. Their last victory at the Emirates came towards the end of the 2022/23 season.

Meanwhile, after scoring against Everton and Manchester United, Danny Welbeck is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time since January 2014.

Team news

11:25 , Chris Wilson

Just one change for the home side from their win over Villa – Leandro Trossard comes in for Gabriel Martinelli.

For Brighton, there is also just one change; Billy Gilmour comes out as he has left for Napoli, and Carlos Baleba comes in.

Arsenal vs Brighton line-ups

11:19 , Chris Wilson

Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Gabriel, Saliba, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Partey; Saka, Havertz, Trossard

Subs: Setford, Kiwior, Calafiori, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Lewis-Skelley, Nwaneri, Martinelli.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Hinshelwood; Milner, Baleba; Minteh, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck.

Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Julio, Webster, Enciso, Rutter, Adingra, Ayari, Estupinan.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal ‘very happy’ for Aaron Ramsdale after Southampton move

11:10 , Chris Wilson

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta thanked Aaron Ramsdale as the England international goalkeeper completed a £25m move to Southampton on deadline day. Ramsdale helped Arsenal back into the top four as the Gunners become a force again in the Premier League before he was replaced by David Raya last season.

“First of all, thank you so much for what he’s done for the club and for the team,” Arteta said. “When he joined, he brought a lot of charisma and energy and he was really good at that time.

“Things developed and he had a situation that was difficult for him, and he was insisting a lot that he was very happy when he plays. We tried to fulfil that desire that he had and he looked really excited and happy the other day.

“He’s joining a great club, a great coach and he looks really excited, so I think we’re all happy for him.”

Billy Gilmour completes move from Brighton to Napoli

11:01 , Jamie Braidwood

Brighton sold midfielder Billy Gilmour to Napoli last night for an initial £12m. The Scotland international made 60 appearances for Brighton in two seasons at the club, following a move from Chelsea in 2022.

The move appeared to be off after Brighton’s new £25m midfielder Matt O’Riley suffered a ankle injury just 10 minutes into his debut, but the Italian club persisted and got the deal over the line with hours to spare.

Brighton’s technical director David Weir said, “Billy quickly established himself as a popular figure in the dressing room and was a key player last season when we competed in the Europa League for the first time.

“We wish him the best of luck with this move to Italy and thank him for his efforts with the club.”

Mikel Merino to miss ‘weeks’ of Arsenal action due to shoulder injury in ‘first training session’

10:46 , Jamie Braidwood

Mikel Merino’s Arsenal debut is “weeks” away, according to Mikel Arteta, after the new signing sustained a shoulder injury within days of joining the club.

The midfielder, part of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad this summer, joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad.

Gunners fans were hoping they might see the 28-year-old debut for the club on Saturday, at home to Brighton in the Premier League, but Merino has already been sidelined with what appears to be “a small fracture”.

Speaking on Friday, Arteta said: “Very unfortunate, yesterday he had a collision and he has got a shoulder injury unfortunately. It looks like he is going to be out for a few weeks.

“First session with us. It was looking exciting, we were all very excited, everything was looking very good… He landed on the floor, and Gabi went on top of him.”

Mikel Merino to miss ‘weeks’ of Arsenal action due to shoulder injury

Arsenal have to be ‘proud’ of transfer business, says Edu

10:31 , Jamie Braidwood

It was a busy end to the transfer window for Arsenal with the club selling striker Eddie Nketiah to Crystal Palace, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton and loaning Reiss Nelson to Fulham.

In the same window, the Gunners also sold Emile Smith Rowe on a permanent deal and signed Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori and Sain midfielder Mikel Merino, while bringing in Raheem Sterling and Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto on loan.

Sporting director Edu said: “A long day, a long transfer window but in the end, I think we as a club have to be proud once again. The way we are working together, the way we did all the deals.

“I think we are in a very good situation when see all the loan players in the right clubs. You see the signings we have like Riccardo and like Merino, so the players that we planned to sign, our targets, they are here. Also the players that we decided to sell, I think we sold them for the right price, to the right clubs, in the right way also which is important.

“So today to be here on the last day of the transfer window, to get someone like Sterling, who I believe will be someone very important for the squad, who is going to give a lot to the team. So it’s a pleasure, and in the end everyone – not only me because there are a lot of people working here as well – but it’s a pleasure we are finishing the transfer window.”

Raheem Sterling loan ‘makes sense’ for Arsenal – Edu

10:16 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal’s sporting director Edu explains why the club made a late move in the transfer window to sign Raheem Sterling on loan.

“To be fair we never planned really to sign him when we started the transfer window, just to be very transparent, for different reasons.

“But we always say to everyone that you have to be prepared for every single scenario. So when that opportunity came to me, and I checked the squad, I checked how he plays, and spoke to Mikel [Arteta] of course. I spoke to Tim [Lewis], our vice-chairman, to check if everyone is comfortable for the step we are going to take, and it makes a lot of sense.

“It makes a lot of sense to have someone like him because I’m pretty sure he is going to add a lot in the squad. He has experience, he understands more than anyone the league, he’s played in the Champions League many times.

“He won the Premier League a few times as well, so I think he can add a lot to our squad and I feel really happy to see someone like him in our squad.”

Raheem Sterling sends message to Arsenal fans after completing loan move from Chelsea

10:01 , Jamie Braidwood

Raheem Sterling shared a message to Arsenal fans after completing his loan move from Chelsea in the early hours of Saturday morning

The England winger, 29, completed a season-long loan move across the capital which was announced almost three hours after the Premier League transfer window closed.

“Hey Gooners, it’s Raheem here. Super excited to be signing for Arsenal and I can’t wait to see you all at the Emirates,” Sterling told fans in a social media message.

He had found himself frozen out at Chelsea under new manager Enzo Maresca, despite having three years remaining on his contract.

Arsenal capture Raheem Sterling with cut-price deal

09:45 , Jamie Braidwood

Raheem Sterling swapped Chelsea for Arsenal in the most eye-catching move of the day, after the winger had been told he was surplus to requirements by Blues manager Enzo Maresca.

The Independent understands that the move was completed after a deal sheet was submitted to the Premier League on time. Sterling joins Arsenal on loan until the end of the season after the clubs agreed there would be no fee and that his vast wages would be shared between them.

The winger escapes his Chelsea nightmare but still faces plenty of competition for a starting spot in the Arsenal team, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard already competing for a place on the left wing.

Deadline day: Arsenal sign Raheem Sterling as Chelsea capture Jadon Sancho

Arsenal vs Brighton: Predicted line-ups

09:32 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Gabriel, Saliba, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Partey; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.

Brighton XI: Steele; Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Milner, Baleba; Minteh, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck.

Brighton team news

09:31 , Jamie Braidwood

New Brighton signing Matt O’Riley will require surgery on his ankle after injuring it on his debut in the Carabao Cup, while fellow new signing Ferdi Kadioglu could be in line to make his debut, with Valentin Barco having gone on loan and Jack Hinshelwood preferred at left-back against United.

Solly March has been ruled out, but Evan Ferguson and Pervis Estupinan could feature after their respective returns from injury. Mats Wieffer is another doubt. Billy Gilmour joined Napoli on transfer deadline day.

Arsenal team news

09:29 , Jamie Braidwood

In terms of injuries, Gabriel Jesus missed the win over Aston Villa with a groin problem, and he remains a doubt. Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are still unavailable.

New signing Mikel Merino was expected to be in the squad to make his Arsenal debut, though he is now likely to miss ‘weeks’ after the club detected a ‘small fracture’.

Several players will likely have left Arsenal by the time this game comes round too, with Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson and Aaron Ramsdale completing moves away. Raheem Sterling has joined on loan, but is unavailable from today’s squad.

When is Arsenal vs Brighton?

09:27 , Jamie Braidwood

Arsenal vs Brighton kicks off at 12.30pm BST on Saturday 31 August at the Emirates Stadium in London.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports. Subscribers will also be able to watch via the Discovery+ app and website.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

Arsenal vs Brighton

Friday 30 August 2024 14:54 , Sonia Twigg

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live build up and coverage of Arsenal vs Brighton in the Premier League.

After yesterday’s transfer deadline day chaos, we will be recapping all the action and the biggest transfers, as well as the latest news from the Emirates.

To start things off, one of the biggest moves was former number one Aaron Ramsdale leaving the Emirates for Southampton.