🕟 Kick Off: 15:00 GMT

🏟️ Venue: Emirates Stadium

📺 UK Broadcaster: N/A 🏴‍☠️

🙎🏻‍♂️ Referee: John Brooks

📹 VAR: Paul Tierney

🔴 Arsenal Team News:

• Gabriel Martinelli: Knee knock; hobbled off during the Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Crystal Palace on Dec 23. Currently being assessed and is a major doubt for the Brighton match tomorrow.
• Piero Hincapié: Unspecified injury; picked up a knock during the win over Everton. Sidelined for the Palace game and remains a doubt for this weekend.
• Kai Havertz: Knee injury; has finally returned to full team training. Mikel Arteta described his return as a “matter of days, not weeks,” though the Brighton game may come slightly too soon for a start.
• Ben White: Hamstring strain; sustained against Wolves on Dec 13. While he is a “fast healer,” he remains out for the festive period with an expected return in early January 2026.
• Gabriel Magalhães: Hamstring injury; still conducting individual rehab and has not yet joined full team training. Ruled out for Brighton; targeting a return in early January 2026.
• Cristhian Mosquera: Ankle injury; continues his recovery from a “complicated” issue. He is expected to remain sidelined until mid-January 2026.
• Max Dowman: Ankle ligament injury; the youngster remains a long-term absentee. His recovery is progressing, with a potential return in early February 2026.

⚽ Arsenal Form: 🟧🟩🟩🟩🟥

🕊️ Brighton Team News:

• Stefanos Tzimas: Knee (ACL) injury; ruled out for the remainder of the season. Expected return is August 2026.
• Adam Webster: Knee ligament injury; remains sidelined after surgery. Expected return is early January 2026 at the earliest, though some reports suggest a longer recovery.
• Solly March: Knee injury; in the final stages of his rehabilitation. Expected return is late December 2025 or early January 2026, but he is unlikely to start against Arsenal.
• Carlos Baleba: Unavailable; away on international duty with Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
• Danny Welbeck: Lower back injury; has returned to full training. While he missed the previous match against Sunderland, he is expected to be available for selection against Arsenal.

⚽ Brighton Form: 🟧🟥🟧🟥🟩

⚔️ Head-to-Head:

• Arsenal 2-0 Brighton (October 29, 2025, EFL Cup)
• Brighton 1-1 Arsenal (January 4, 2025, Premier League)
• Arsenal 1-1 Brighton (August 31, 2024, Premier League)
• Brighton 0-3 Arsenal (April 6, 2024, Premier League)
• Arsenal 2-0 Brighton (December 17, 2023, Premier League)

✍🏼 Pre-Match Ramblings

You’ll have to forgive me for no facts or ramblings, I’ve been playing KCD2 and drinking cocktails all day.

COYG!