Carabao Cup preview: Steele to start at Arsenal

We take on Arsenal on Wednesday as both teams look to secure a place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

Albion defeated League One Forest Green Rovers 3-0 in the last round, while the Gunners enter the competition at this stage.

Team news

There are no fresh injury concerns for Roberto De Zerbi, with Jakub Moder the only long term absentee.

De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference, “It will be a test for many players, but when we wear the shirt of the team we must play well.

“For me it’s a very important game, I can make some changes in the first XI, but we are treating it as a Premier League game so there’s no big difference.

"Jason Steele will play, he is a good goalkeeper and a good guy. He is very important in the dressing room."

Our last meeting

The start of a run that saw Albion finish ninth last season began at Arsenal in April. Having lost six consecutive games, Albion bounced back in remarkable fashion with a superb 2-1 victory at the Emirates when Moises Caicedo’s made his first Premier League start.

The stats

Arsenal and Brighton last met in the League Cup in the 1979-80 season, with the Gunners winning 4-0 in a fourth round replay with Frank Stapleton and Paul Vaessen both scoring twice.

Brighton have won two of their last three away games against Arsenal (L1), having won none of their first eight visits to the Gunners between November 1979 and May 2019.

Arsenal have progressed from 18 of their last 19 League Cup third round ties, losing the other 2-1 at home to Southampton in 2014-15.

Since joining the Premier League in 2017-18, Albion have faced fellow top-flight opponents five times in the League Cup and been eliminated on each occasion. Their last victory in this competition against a Premier League team was in August 2011 against Sunderland.

Match officials

Referee: Jarred Gillett

Assistant Referee 1: Neil Davies

Assistant Referee 2: Steven Meredith

Fourth Official: Andrew Madley