Arsenal: Gunners' Attacking Efficiency The Difference This Season, Insists Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta is confident his Arsenal team can carry the efficiency shown in their win over Aston Villa into their meeting with Brighton on Saturday. (More Football News)

The Gunners maintained their winning start to the Premier League season with a 2-0 win at Vill🎃a Park but had to weather a storm in the East Midlands. 

Arsenal managed nine shots in the contest to Villไa's 11, but Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey's strikes ensured they exacted revenge on Unai Emery's side. 

Despite their unusual lack of threat in front of goal, Arteta insisted that his players' efficiency in front of goal has added another string to their bow ౠfor the new campaign.

"Last year, I think we generated more, obviously𒁃 because of ༺the context of the game when they scored first," Arteta said.

"Today they did something a little bit different to what we expected, esไpecially in the first phase of the build-up in the way they behave.

"But this is what we have to do, you know, against any formation, any opponent, any behavioඣur that we find to be a threat in many areas, and that's a big compliment for the team.”

Meanwhile, Brighton were 🎃involved in EFL C🍷up action on Tuesday night, cruising into the next round with a comfortable 4-0 win over Crawley Town. 

Simon Adingra, Jeremy Sarmiento, Adam Webster and Markꦺ O’Mahony were on the scoresheet to ensure their winning start rolled ꦗon under new boss Fabian Hurzeler.

The Seagulls are one of four teams who have won ꦛtheir first two Premier League games of the season, with Hurzeler only the fourth manager to do so for Brighton.

And the 31-year-old believes their midweek run-out against Crawley provided some challenges that will h﷽elp his side improve ahead of their trip to the Emirates.

"Y♏ou๊ have to win tough games like this which we did," Hurzeler said. 

"I exp༺erienced a lot of cup games in Germany, and I know how difficult it is to play against a team that comes from a lower league.

"I think they had nothing to lose, they had a lot to win. So, in the end, we are happy about the🐻 result but we will try to keep ✃improving and try to play better than today.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal – Bukayo Saka

Bukayo Saka has continued where𓆏 he left off from last campaign and has now been involved in 17 goals in his last 19 Premier League outings for the Gunners (12 goals and five assists). 

Sakꦦa notched assists against Wolves and Aston Villa, and could become the 🔯second player after Thierry Henry in 2004-05 to assist a goal in the first three games of a top flight season for Arsenal. 

Brighton – Danny Welbeck

Danny Welbeck has already notched a goal against one of his former employers this season, and will be looking to strikꦇe against Arsenal upon his return to North London.

Welbeck is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League appearanc﷽es for the first time since January 201♊4, while the last player to score in each of Brighton’s first three league games in a single campaign was Nicky Forster in 2008-09.

MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN

Despite꧑ Brighton's impressive start to the season, Arsenal are considered the overriding favourites, winning 69.8% of Opta's data-led simulations, with the Seagulls given a 12.3% chance of emerging victorious at the Emirates. 

The Gunners have won three of their last four Premier League games against Brighton (L1), as many💫 as they had in their first 10 ꦏagainst them beforehand (D3 L4).

Arteta's side have also triumphed in their last eight league games since a 2-0💝 home defeat to Aston Villa in April, last winning nine in a row 🌌between January and March 2004.

Victory for Arsenal would see them win their opening three Premier League games in a season for a second time under Arteta (also 2022-23), which would be as many times as they di⛄d ꩲso prior to his arrival as manager (in 2003-04 and 2004-05 under Arsene Wenger).

Brighton have won three of their seven Premier League away games against Arsenal (D1 L3). They’re one of just three teams to have won more o✤r as many visits to the Emirates as they’ve lost in the competition, along with Manchester City (W7 L6) and Sജwansea City (W3 L3).

For the third time in the last four seasonsꦰ, Brighton have won their opening two Premier League matches. The Seagulls haven’t won their opening three league games in a season since 2011-12 in the Championship.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Arsenal – 69.8%

Draw – 17%

Brighton – 13.2%