The Amex Stadium welcomes Arsenal for the second time in FA Cup competition within the last two years on Sunday, as Championship Brighton & Hove Albion look to stun the current holders.
After an unfamiliar first half of the season under ex-Bayer Leverkusen boss Sami Hyypia, Chris Hughton has recently been installed to the Seagulls hot seat. In his first four games in charge of the south-coast outfit the ex-Newcastle United and Norwich City boss has three wins, including guiding Brighton to this stage of the FA Cup with a 2-0 third round win at Championship high-flyers Brentford Town. Coincidentally it was also the Bees that gave Hughton his first loss as Albion boss last weekend, when they triumphed 1-0 in the league at the Amex.
Almost two years to the day and at the same stage of the competition, Arsenal defeated Brighton by three goals to two with thanks to a late Theo Walcott winner at the Seagulls new home. The Gunners continued on to the fifth round of the FA Cup but were given a tough time down in East Sussex, and Hughton’s side will look back to that tie and their previous playoff placed league campaigns to reignite their disappointing form at the Amex this season. Although they have only three wins from 13 home league games this season, the south-coast club go into Sunday’s encounter on the back of a confidence boosting 3-2 home win over Championship promotion chasers Ipswich Town.
In the early stages of his tenure, Hughton appears to have revived the Premiership pushing side of the last two seasons and has also got the Seagulls goal-shy forwards within the goals. Summer signing Chris O’Grady struck late on to seal Brighton’s passage through to this weekend’s fourth round tie, and fellow summer recruit Sam Baldock fired Albion in front during their midweek victory against Ipswich. Liverpool loanee Joao Teixeira added a further brace for the hosts to put them almost out of sight within the first 45 minutes on Wednesday evening, as he scored for the first time since September, extending his league tally to four.
In a bid to bolster his attacking options this week, Hughton has moved for journeyman Leon Best on loan from Blackburn Rovers, although he will be ineligible to face the Gunners due to appearing for Derby County in round three. Therefore the likes of Craig Mackail-Smith, pending return from injury, O’Grady and Baldock will be tasked to breach Arsenal’s backline.
In behind the selected frontman the Seagulls have options along their attacking three with midweek goalscorer Teixeira, top assister Adrian Corlunga and promising youngster Jake Forster-Caskey all looking to supply chances and chip in with goals. Last time out Hughton experimented with experienced defender Inigo Calderon on the right of the front four and appeared to have success with the change, but whoever is selected for Sunday’s tie the North Londoners defence could be kept busy.
Going the opposite way and the Brighton defence will also have to be at their best at the weekend, as the likes of previous Amex scorers Walcott and Oliver Giroud arrive on the south coast, although likely to give the Albion backline the most headaches will be the effervescent Alexis Sanchez. In front of the Seagulls back four ex-Chelsea youngster Rohan Ince has been in solid form for new boss Hughton alongside Dutch summer signing Danny Holla. The ex-Norwich manager has solidified with Ince and Holla in the Seagulls last three games, although both can pose a threat going forward.
In-demand central defender and club top scorer Lewis Dunk should return from suspension for the FA cup fourth round tie, and the Brighton faithful will welcome him back alongside captain Gordon Greer at the heart of the defence, with three consecutive clean sheets before his dismissal last weekend. Aston Villa loanee Joe Bennett has been impressing this campaign at left-back, whilst on the opposite side of the Albion defence experienced Spanish duo Bruno or Calderon will aim to stifle the Gunners imposing strikeforce. Ex-Fulham 'keeper David Stockdale brings top flight experience to the Championship side and has almost been an ever-present between the sticks this campaign.
Despite their lowly league position, this is a Brighton & Hove Albion side that, at present, have been rejuvenated by new boss Chris Hughton after a forgettable opening to the season under Sami Hyypia. As the competitions reigning holders and having only lost once against lower league opposition in Arsene Wenger’s reign, Arsenal will got into Sunday’s matchup in confident mood, furthermore on the back of a welcome victory at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. However, the Seagulls took their visitors all the way two years ago and should provide another stern test, as Hughton’s side aim to act revenge and build on recent momentum to possibly cause a major FA Cup fourth round shock.