Brighton handed fitness boost for Arsenal clash as key starter set to return

Brighton have been handed a fitness boost ahead of their clash with Arsenal on Wednesday night. The Seagulls will be the next team to try to derail the Gunners’ title bid after Chelsea failed to do so on Sunday, coming up short at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are refusing to falter for the most part, but Manchester City are still full of belief, just five points behind with a game in hand and with the Gunners still to play. That keeps it in their hands as well as Arsenal’s at this point.

Brighton welcome Arsenal on the back of a home win over Nottingham Forest that saw them climb to 11th. That win made it back-to-back wins after a disappointing run of six games without a win and no consecutive wins since November.

Brighton are in confident mood again, and many have suggested this could be a danger game for Arsenal as they look to keep ticking off the games on their run-in list.

And the Seagulls have now been boosted by the return of Yasin Ayari from a shoulder injury. Ayari, who is a key part of Brighton’s midfield, playing the holding role, has been out for the last four games with a shoulder issue but will return here.

“I'm pretty sure he's an option tomorrow,” Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler confirmed. Elsewhere during his press conference, Hurzeler took a swipe at Arsenal, criticising the amount of time they take to take a corner.

“Sometimes they spend one minute to take a corner if they are leading," he pointed out. “The main topic is to make a clear rule on how much time you can waste for a corner, for a throw-in, for a free-kick.

“I think no-one recognises it, but when Arsenal have a corner and they are leading, sometimes they spend over one minute just to take a corner. Therefore, I think we just have to make clear rules. The game is changing so much.

“I have the opinion that every supporter who pays a lot of money to go to the stadiums and watch our games should see the same net-to-game time because they pay a lot of money.

“They want to see a football event and they don't want to see maybe 50 minutes the ball is in the game and 40 minutes the game is not. Therefore, that's how I see it, but I think we won't change these rules immediately.”

Your next Arsenal read, Gallagher disagrees with major decision made during Arsenal vs Chelsea