ARSENAL MUST BOUNCE BACK AGAINST BRIGHTON

North London giants Arsenal must bounce back to winning Premier League games starting with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday if they are to secure one of the four Champions League slots available to Premier League teams at the end of this season. The Gunners had suffered a big dent in their top-four chase when they were convincingly beaten by Crystal Palace on Monday. The 3-0 defeat to hosts Crystal Palace was a significant one for Arsenal as it meant that they were unable to regain fourth spot from North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Ahead of the Brighton game at home this weekend, Arsenal are overwhelming favourites according to the soccer betting odds from different soccer betting sites. The Gunners were favourites for the Palace game according to soccer betting odds via various soccer betting sites, but they were unable to live up to that status on the pitch after the Eagles established a two-goal lead over Arsenal at the end of the first half through goals from French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ghanaian star Jordan Ayew. England-born Ivorian international Wilfred Zaha sealed the three-goal result for Crystal Palace in the second half from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Martin Odegaard in the Arsenal box.

Arsenal would be looking to live up to their favourites gave against Brighton this weekend unlike the last time against Palace. The Mikel Arteta-led team have the perfect game for their response with Brighton presently out-of-form after losing six league games in a row before the poor run was halted by the goalless draw at home to bottom team Norwich City last weekend.
The top-four race is an interesting one with six teams in contention for just two Champions League spots and Arsenal are still in a good position to bag one of those two spots despite the defeat to the Eagles. To this effect, an home win over Brighton on Saturday is almost non-negotiable.