Brighton’s search for a first win since November continues with a visit from Arsenal on Saturday afternoon.
The Seagulls ended 2024 with yet another draw – the club’s third on the spin – after Tariq Lamptey’s 81st-minute equaliser secured a share of the spoils against Aston Villa on Monday. Fabian Hurzeler has remained optimistic throughout the seven-game wait for victory and told fans to “always trust the process” this week.
Arsenal’s first couple of seasons under Mikel Arteta were defined by that exact phrase – which Mesut Ozil was ironically responsible for before that process led to his own exile. Five years into Arteta’s tenure, the Gunners have been rewarded for their patience and find themselves embroiled in the title race for a third consecutive season.
A 12-game unbeaten sequence has kept Arsenal within touching distance of runaway league-leaders Liverpool, who are not in action until Sunday. This delay gives the north London outfit the chance to – however briefly – close the gap up to first place to just three points.
Brighton almost have an entire starting XI worth of players out injured. Saturday’s fixture is “too early” for the club’s brand-new recruit from Inter Miami, Diego Gomez, who will be watching on from the sidelines with full-back Ferdi Kadioglu and veteran midfielder James Milner.
Jack Hinshelwood is “getting close” to a return from his knee injury according to Hurzeler and centre-back Adam Webster is once again available. However, doubts loom over Pervis Estupinan who is recovering from an illness.
Former Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck will be assessed “day by day” while fellow striker Evan Ferguson (ankle) and midfielder Mats Wieffer (thigh) are unlikely to feature.
Arsenal were beset by a squad-wide “bug” ahead of their New Year’s Day trip to Brentford. Kai Havertz sat out the 3-1 win, sent into quarantine to avoid further contamination. Arteta revealed on Friday: “The ones with illness, I think are going to be OK.”
Whether that means Havertz will be thrust straight back into the starting XI is another matter entirely. Given Gabriel Jesus’ strong run of form, there seems little need to rush the German.
Arsenal are not going to welcome back either of their injured full-backs, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Fellow defender Jurrien Timber will also sit out the trip to the south coast after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season on Wednesday.
Raheem Sterling is creeping closer to full fitness, but Bukayo Saka is still very much at the start of his long-term recovery. Whether Arteta will be able to resist the urge of starting 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri for the second time in four days remains to be seen.
