Alious
Arsenal are preparing for Saturday afternoon’s Premier League meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion knowing they will once again have to cope without several important first-team players, as Mikel Arteta delivered mixed fitness news on Kai Havertz and Gabriel.
The Gunners boss offered cautious optimism over Havertz, who has spent the majority of the campaign sidelined with a knee problem. While the German is not expected to feature against Brighton, his return appears to be drawing closer. Arteta revealed earlier this week that Havertz’s recovery has progressed well and that his absence should soon come to an end, suggesting the midfielder could be available within days rather than weeks. The Arsenal manager emphasised how much the team have missed Havertz’s influence, noting that his presence adds a different dynamic to the side and expressing his satisfaction that a comeback is now on the horizon.
In contrast, the situation surrounding Gabriel remains less clear. The Brazilian centre-back has yet to rejoin full training and continues to work through his rehabilitation programme. Arteta admitted that Arsenal are still waiting to see how quickly Gabriel can step up his recovery, underlining the importance of getting him back as soon as possible given the current strain on the club’s defensive options.
Even with Havertz edging closer to a return and hopes that Gabriel will not be out for too long, Arsenal are still facing the prospect of a heavily depleted squad. Several other senior players are also expected to miss the Brighton fixture, meaning Arteta will once again have to reshuffle his resources for a key league encounter.
Brighton, meanwhile, are dealing with fitness concerns of their own. Head coach Fabian Hürzeler is also navigating multiple injuries within his squad, leaving both sides short of key personnel as they head into Saturday’s contest at the Emirates Stadium.
With as many as 12 players potentially unavailable across the two teams, the match could hinge as much on depth and adaptability as on quality, as Arsenal look to maintain momentum despite their growing injury list.
Alious
