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Seagulls have only lost once at home
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Joao Pedro to attract fouls as he leads attack
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Martinelli's speed can see him continue good form
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Betfair's Saturday Superboost!
Tottenham v Newcastle should be a lively way to get the first Saturday of 2025 underway in the Premier League and Betfair have come up with an appealing Superboost for the 12:30 kick-off.
Alexander Isak scored 25 Premier League goals for Newcastle in 2024 while Anthony Gordon has been directly involved in a goal in each of his last four Premier League appearances for the Magpies.
The pair will enjoy playing against a Tottenham side that leave plenty of gaps at the back.
Back Isak and Gordon to combine for 2 or more shots on target was 4/9 NOW
Brighton v Arsenal
Saturday 04 January, 17:30
Live on Sky Sports
Seagulls needn't panic about winless run
When you hire a coach who is just 31 years old, and you make him the youngest permanent managerial appointment in Premier League history, you are always going to open yourself up to scrutiny.
Brighton made a stellar start to life under Fabian Hürzeler, but the former St Pauli boss has failed to lead the Seagulls to victory in their last seven Premier League matches.
However, there is little need for doom and gloom. Brighton are just four points off the top six, and they have lost just four of their 19 top-flight outings, including suffering just one home defeat.
They are just three points behind a Bournemouth team that's being showered with plaudits, and are just two adrift of both Aston Villa and Fulham.
Hürzeler certainly isn't personally panicking. He believes there have been good performances in a winless run that now stretches back to November, and he's happy to trust the process.
Given how process-driven Brighton have been under the watchful guidance of Tony Bloom, it's difficult to see them making any sudden or harsh judgements.
Paraguayan international midfielder Diego Gomez has arrived from Inter Miami, but hasn't been deemed ready yet for his Premier League debut. Ferdi Kadioglu is still sidelined, but fellow full-back Pervis Estupinan could return after illness.
Jack Hinsehlwood and Adam Webster hope to return from long spells on the sidelines, but Danny Welbeck, James Milner, Mats Wieffer and Evan Ferguson are all expected to miss out.
Gunners applying pressure in title race
Having missed out to Manchester City in the battle for the Premier League in each of the last two campaigns, Arsenal are trying manfully to avoid losing out to a different combatant this time around. T
hey have pulled to within six points of the leaders Liverpool, although Arne Slot's Reds have played a game fewer.
The Gunners have won three straight games against Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Brentford, and they are coping with the loss of England star Bukayo Saka to long-term injury.
They have rattled in nine goals across those three victories, three of which have been scored by the resurgent Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian forward has now smashed in six goals in his last four competitive appearances, including a match-winning League Cup hat-trick against Crystal Palace.
There's no doubt that despite not yet having any silverware to go with it, Arsenal's league form across 2024 was stunning.
According to Opta, Arsenal claimed a league-high 85 points in 2024, scored 89 goals (their highest year-long tally since the 1960s) and racked up 26 wins. That tally of league victories was Arsenal's best for two decades.
If there is a concern, it is with whether Mikel Arteta's side are winning regularly enough on the road to secure English football's top prize. They have failed to win in half of their last ten away matches in the Premier League.
By way of comparison, Liverpool have won seven of their last ten on the road, and Chelsea have won six. These are small sample sizes, but it's a tight race.
Jurrien Timber is suspended, so Thomas Partey may have to cover at right-back, with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu injured. 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri impressed in his first Premier League start, as the Gunners came from behind to win 3-1 at Brentford, but he may have to settle for a place on the bench here.
Declan Rice is thought to be carrying a knock, and it's unclear whether he'll start here.
Seagulls can hit the net
I'm quite tempted to lay Arsenal here at 1.824/5, but Brighton's high defensive line could leave them quite vulnerable against speedsters like Gabriel Martinelli, so the way I'll support the hosts is to back them to score as part of a Bet Builder.
I'll start with a BTTS bet. That has landed in Arsenal's last five Premier League away matches (their last clean sheet on the road in the top flight was in mid-September), and in 13 of Brighton's last 15 PL games overall.
I'll then boost the price to 5/42.25 by backing influential Brighton forward Joao Pedro to be fouled at least twice. The Brazilian has drawn at least two fouls in six of his last seven league matches, and eight of 13 overall.
Back BTTS and Joao Pedro to be fouled twice or more
Martinelli can make his mark
With Saka on the sidelines, there's even more pressure on players like Martinelli to step up and deliver. The young Brazilian has scored in two of his last three matches, and has seven goal involvements in 17 PL appearances this term. With Brighton happy to take risks to try to catch teams offside, I think Martinelli can use his pace to good effect here, so I'll back him at 11/82.38 to score or assist.
Back Gabriel Martinelli to score or assist