Mikel Arteta says he “hopes” Declan Rice will be ready for Arsenal’s trip to Brighton, while confirming David Raya is “good to go” and admitting Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz remain doubts.
Arsenal head to Brighton on Wednesday night with the title race tightening and Arteta balancing momentum with a small cluster of fitness concerns. The manager’s pre-match press conference centred on Declan Rice’s condition after he asked to be substituted in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea, plus updates on David Raya, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz.
Arteta offered encouragement on Rice, who was withdrawn late in the second half against Chelsea after reporting discomfort. “I hope so,” Arteta said when asked about Rice’s chances of featuring at the Amex. “He was much better today. Hopefully he’s going to be better tomorrow.”
Declan Rice being fit would offer a significant boost for Arsenal. Rice has been central to Arsenal’s control in midfield, and his delivery from set pieces has become a major weapon, an area that again proved decisive against Chelsea. With a quick turnaround between fixtures, Arsenal’s ability to keep their midfield structure intact is likely to shape the match.
Raya “good to go” after late heroics
Arteta also confirmed Raya is available, after the goalkeeper’s late save against Chelsea preserved the points. Raya has been managing minor issues, described by Arteta as “niggles”, but the manager was clear on his status for midweek. “David is good,” Arteta said. “Good to go.”
Arsenal will want stability behind them for a tricky away trip. Brighton has a track record of making games uncomfortable at home, particularly when they can force turnovers high up the pitch, and Arteta has regularly stressed the importance of controlling game state in matches where fine margins decide outcomes.
Odegaard and Havertz: “wait and see”
Odegaard remains a key question. The captain missed the Chelsea win after a knee problem sustained in the draw with Brentford last month. He returned from that injury to come off the bench against Tottenham, but Arsenal opted not to risk him on Sunday. Arteta said Arsenal will monitor how he responds to specific demands in training. “We have to wait and see how comfortable he is to do certain actions,” he said.
On Havertz, the message was similarly cautious. “Kai we will have to wait and see if he’s available,” Arteta said, before adding: “Martin we will see.”Ben White, however, is ruled out. “Ben is not available,” Arteta said.
Managing workloads and a word on Zubimendi
Arteta was also asked about squad management through a heavy schedule. He emphasised that Arsenal have been monitoring minutes all season and suggested players are being pushed into new territory. “We have [managed his workload] we’ve been doing it for the whole season,” he said. “He’s never played this amount of games ever in his history. On top of that we have a World Cup. They’re going to break records.”
On Martin Zubimendi, Arteta was positive about the midfielder’s first season in north London. “I think for his first year, he’s having a great season,” he said.
Merino timeline and a small boost with Dowman
Beyond Wednesday, Arteta’s press conference also touched on longer-term planning, with Merino’s recovery timeline still unclear after surgery. “You’re talking about bone healing, so you need to be patient,” Arteta said. “We’re talking about months, whether it’s three, four or five, we don’t know.”
Arsenal did, however, get one small boost on the availability list, with Arteta confirming teenager Max Dowman is ready to return to the squad picture after his planned under-21 minutes, offering an extra option as Arsenal manage workload and squad numbers through a congested spell.