Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is hopeful three defenders can be fit for Saturday's Premier League trip to face Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. Ben White, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are all under assessment after missing the midweek Carabao Cup tie against Ipswich Town.
White sustained a groin issue at half-time in the previous match against Sunderland. Hincapie and Mosquera were both absent from the cup squad, with the former's issue described as fatigue. All three will be monitored in training before the final game before the international break.
Arteta told reporters on Friday that the situation was positive. "We have another training session this afternoon," the Arsenal head coach said. "Really positive about everybody." He added that the players are eager to feature. "They're all willing to be part of it, we have another session to try to make sure that they are fit."
Jurrien Timber is expected to be available for selection, providing a boost to Arsenal's defensive options. The Gunners, who top the standings, are aiming for a seventh consecutive win to start the season. They have scored 12 goals and conceded just 2, averaging 2.4 goal minutes per game, and lead the league with 18 points. They will want to avoid taking risks with players who are not fully fit before the break, especially with a key London derby against Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium next on the fixtures list.
Brighton, meanwhile, are in strong form. Roberto De Zerbi's side are fifth in the Premier League with seven points from four games. They are on a two-game winning run, most recently securing a dramatic 3-2 victory at Manchester United last Monday. Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Groß and Maxim De Cuyper scored the goals at Old Trafford.
The Seagulls will be without several players through injury, including Evan Ferguson and Kaoru Mitoma. Their next challenge is a home match against the league leaders, with Arsenal having won the last meeting 1-0 at the Amex in March. The match kicks off at 15:00 BST on Saturday.
The report in full is at Yahoo Sports
