Former Gunner Danny Welbeck could make a return to the Brighton and Hove Albion match-day squad in time for the trip to Arsenal on Saturday (27 December).
Albion head coach Fabian Hürzeler said that the Seagulls top scorer was due back in training and would be in contention to face his old club at the Emirates.
Welbeck has scored seven Premier League goals this season, leading to suggestions that the 35-year-old veteran could force his way back into the England squad for the World Cup in the summer.
But he hasn’t started the past two games as the Seagulls have drawn blanks and he came on as a late sub in the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool before missing the goalless draw with Sunderland altogether.
At the pre-match press conference today (Tuesday 23 December), Hürzeler said: “Danny Welbeck will train today so he’ll be back.
“If you don’t have a goalscorer on the pitch at the moment then you have to find other solutions.
“Other solutions are to keep working hard and give short and small advice to keep calm in the opponents’ box.”
Centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke hopes to return after illness while Lewis Dunk and Diego Gomez are available after suspension.
Full-back Mats Wieffer should also be fit after being withdrawn at half-time against Sunderland, having suffered a blow to the face.
