Arsenal take on Brighton as the Gunners begin the second half of their Premier League campaign chasing down Liverpool.

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal kicked off 2025 with a 3-1 win over Brentford to move back into second place in the Premier League on Wednesday. Mikel Arteta’s team shook off a slow start at Gtech Community Stadium to leapfrog Nottingham Forest and pull within six points of league leader Liverpool, which has a game in hand.

We know the new year is just hours old, but that's not going to stop us from using the holiday to predict every club game, tournament draw, and goal for the rest of the year.

Lurking in the shadows while others steal the attention of fans, pundits and journalists alike, these players are critical to the success of their clubs.