Brighton and Hove Albion face Arsenal tomorrow (Saturday 31 December) and will again be without their World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister.
He is expected back within days – but tomorrow Albion will also be without the former Gunners striker Danny Welbeck and defender Adam Webster, both out with injury.
And the Seagulls will miss Moises Caicedo who is suspended after picking up a fifth yellow card during the 3-1 win at Southampton on Boxing Day.
The 21-year-old Ecuador international is rumoured to be a January transfer target for Liverpool, fresh from their purchase of the Netherlands striker Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven.
The north London side are five points clear at the top of the Premier League, with just one defeat in 15 games since the start of the campaign.
But they were beaten by Brighton in the League Cup last month, with Welbeck among the scorers in a 3-1 win at the Emirates.
Tomorrow the two sides are due to kick off at 5.30pm at the Amex, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi aiming to outgun the Gunners once again.
If Brighton succeed, they will have won four of their past five Premier League games while Arsenal have dropped just five points all season.
De Zerbi said today: “The style of play for Arsenal is fantastic. They know very well what they have to do on the pitch and they have very good players.
“Gabriel and (William) Saliba are very young but they are very fast and very good with the ball.
“In midfield they are complete in all characteristics – and up front, the attackers are fast with big ability and potential.
“I work with patience and follow the perception but I was happy to see my team play very good football (against Southampton).
“But there are improvements in situations with and without the ball, to attack the space better in the right time to score more goals, if we have the possibility and chances. This part we are improving.”
Even though Mac Allister, Welbeck, Webster and Caicedo will all be absent, De Zerbi said: “At the moment we are in a good condition to play and we are ready.
“Webster and Welbeck are not able to play but we knew last week that we have to wait another week for them, I think.
“A couple of days for Welbeck but a few more for Webster – Mac Allister will arrive in the next (few) days.
“I believe in my players and think we are able to play well – to play a good game – and we want to close the year in the right way and get a good result for us.”
De Zerbi appeared to rule out a move for Shakhtar Donetsk’s 21-year-old attacking winger Mykhailo Mudryk who is reported to be a transfer target for Arsenal.
The Italian coached Mudryk last season and was full of praise for him – and this season, Mudryk has been involved in five of his team’s goals in the Champions League.
De Zerbi said: “Mudryk is a fantastic player but Brighton can’t buy him. I like him, just like all my ex-players I like. But Brighton can’t buy Mudryk. Arsenal? I don’t know.
“I think Mudryk can win the Ballon d’Or in the future. I know the value of Mudryk. He has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or.”
Arsenal are reported to have had a £55 million bid for Mudryk rejected.
Brighton fans will be hoping that Albion left-winger Solly March can repeat his form at Southampton where he scored a stunning goal and was man of the match.
