Brighton vs Arsenal: 3 key battles as Mikel Arteta's side look to keep 100% record going

Arsenal visit Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with Mikel Arteta's men vying to keep their 100% record at the start of the new season alive.

The Gunners have won each of their first seven matches across all competitions this term, scoring 16 goals and conceding just three in the process. Arteta was able to rest several key players in midweek when the North Londoners beat Ipswich Town in the third round of the Carabao Cup, so they should be well-rested and raring to go on the south coast.

The likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber all played no role in the victory in East Anglia. Brighton, on the other hand, fielded a number of key players for their trip to Manchester United.

The Seagulls should theoretically be flagging come the second period on Sunday, particularly given Fabian Hurzeler's high-octane style. That said, the German's side have been exceptional so far this season, and their possession-oriented approach could certainly cause Arsenal problems.

While the tactical battle will be fascinating, the individual battles on display will ultimately determine the result.

With that said, here are the key battles that we believe could be pivotal in dictating the outcome of the game at the Emirates.

Pascal Gross vs Declan Rice

Pascal Gross is the heartbeat of Brighton's team. The German dictates the Seagulls' possession game, metronomically spraying passes across the pitch alongside Yasin Ayari at the base of their midfield.

Gross is currently averaging 91.5 touches per 90 minutes this season, which places him in the 90th percentile for this metric. His ability to retain the ball whilst also progressing it at a prolific rate is part of why Brighton have been so dominant in possession so far this term.

If Arsenal are going to stop the Seagulls, they'll need to prevent the former Borussia Dortmund man from getting on the ball and dictating proceedings in the middle of the park. This will primarily be Declan Rice's job, with the Englishman often tasked with being the midfield destroyer in Arteta's set-up.

Luka Vuskovic vs Kai Havertz

Kai Havertz has been so important to the way Arsenal have played so far this season. Not only is the German an excellent outlet for David Raya's long balls, but he's also capable of dropping deep to facilitate build-up, peeling out wide to combine with players and making runs into the channels.

He'll be up against one of the Premier League's rising stars this weekend, however. Luka Vuskovic, a big-money Brighton acquisition from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, has impressed on the south coast so far.

The Croatian is as aerially dominant as anyone, so Havertz won't have this aspect of the game over his Brighton counterpart. The Arsenal man will have to find another way to win this fascinating individual battle.

Olivier Boscagli vs Bukayo Saka

Brighton are facing something of a left-back crisis heading into this clash. Maxim De Cuyper is expected to be used on the left wing due to absences in this area, while Ferdi Kadioglu, the first-choice left-back, is likely to fill in on the right due to Mats Wieffer's injury.

To add salt to the wounds, third-choice option Jaouen Hadjam is a doubt. Thus, centre-back Olivier Boscagli is likely to start on the left-hand side of Brighton's defence.

This is arguably the one area Brighton will be most concerned about having absentees, given Arsenal's potent right-sided attacks. Bukayo Saka is under a little bit of pressure following some poor finishing performances, but he could have a field day tormenting an immobile central defender playing out of position.

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