Brighton get injury boost ahead of Arsenal

Brighton and Hove Albion are hopeful of welcoming back several senior players for their trip to the Emirates this weekend, with Danny Welbeck and Jan Paul van Hecke both expected to return to training ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Arsenal.

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Welbeck missed Albion’s goalless draw with Sunderland last weekend because of a back problem, while Van Hecke was also absent from the matchday squad. Speaking on Tuesday, Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler indicated that both players are on course to be available, alongside the return of two suspended defenders.

“Danny Welbeck will train today [Tuesday], so he’ll be back,” Hürzeler said. “Jan Paul will train on Wednesday so he should be back. The two suspended players will be back and Mats Wieffer is okay.

“We go day by day and follow the procedure, but he looks quite well. I think that he will also be available.”

Welbeck is enjoying a great season so far, with seven goals in 16 league games. This comes on the back of his best ever scoring campaign last season with 10 in the Premier League.

Lewis Dunk and Diego Gómez are also set to return after serving suspensions.

Brighton arrive in north London on a run of four Premier League matches without a win, having drawn 0-0 with Sunderland in a game that saw them field the youngest starting XI in the division this season, under the youngest manager in the league.

That match also featured James Milner, aged 39, as the oldest player to appear in the Premier League during the current campaign.

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The visitors have struggled for goals in recent weeks, failing to score in their last two league outings, something they have not done three matches in a row since January 2024. They are also without a win against Arsenal in their last four league meetings, drawing twice and losing twice, including back to back 1-1 draws last season.

Arsenal, by contrast, are unbeaten at home in the Premier League this season and sit top of the table at Christmas, two points clear after last weekend’s 1-0 win away to Everton.

Under Mikel Arteta, the Emirates has once again become a difficult place to visit, with five successive league home wins and a defensive record that has underpinned their title challenge.

Saturday’s fixture will also mark a personal milestone for David Raya, who will make his 150th Premier League appearance for Arsenal. Since making his debut in August 2021, no goalkeeper in the competition has kept more clean sheets.

Although Arsenal’s record against Brighton at home is pretty poor (P8 W3 D2 L3), the Seagulls have never won a Premier League match in December under Hürzeler, drawing six and losing four of their 10 fixtures during the month.