Brighton boss confirms triple injury update for Arsenal clash as key star returns

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has issued mixed injury news ahead of his side’s clash with Arsenal on Saturday. The Gunners have moved within six points of leaders Liverpool with a good run of form over the festive period, but they have played a game more at this point.

Mikel Arteta’s men are back on track to some degree, but they cannot afford to slip-up again any time soon given Liverpool’s current pace, while we are now in the second half of the campaign. Meanwhile, Brighton are currently 10th in the table after an entertaining draw with Aston Villa.

The Seagulls haven’t had it easy this season, as you would expect in their first season under new boss Hurzeler, but with the halfway point now past, they are within four points of sixth placed Manchester City, and that represents a very solid season so far.

Brighton have also been dealing with their fair share of injuries, with former Arsenal man Danny Welbeck sidelined after an impressive start to the season. The striker won’t return against the Gunners, either, with Hurzeler telling Sussex World: “I can’t say when he will be back. It could be next week, it could be really quick, but it could also take two, three, four more weeks. So we have to go day by day. He is without any pain, so that’s a really good thing and he’s back on the pitch. Hopefully he will be back soon.”

In better news for Brighton, they will welcome back defender Adam Webster after a 13 day absence. "Adam [Webster] will be back,” Hurzeler added. “Hopefully Jack [Hinshelwood] is close. The rest will stay the same.”

Speaking on the game specifically, Hurzeler said: “We have to push our limits in every phase of the game. To play with courage and continue to play intensely. I think that's what we showed in the last two games. Of course the results were not good. But in the end we showed really good performances. We showed that we are able to beat every team in this league and we already proved it. So I think it's very important that we play with our identity our identity means to play intense. If you don't play intense, we have no chance against Arsenal."

The Brighton boss also had a word on Bukayo Saka’s absence through injury, saying: “He’s a player who makes a difference for sure. But in the end we saw it also yesterday [in the 3-1 win over Brentford], that they have enough world class players to replace him. So there's not only one world class player in the squad. There are several, especially in the offensive line.”