Double Arsenal boost as 2 injury doubts join squad for Brighton clash

Kai Havertz and Declan Rice are both match fit and travelling to face Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday night, according to a report.

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Football insider Hand of Arsenal reports on their Instagram story that Declan Rice and Kai Havertz are both match fit, and that they’ll travel with the squad to Brighton for Wednesday night’s Premier League fixture.

The same source adds that a final decision on the duo’s official matchday squad inclusion will be taken on Wednesday itself, but the pair are both evidently fit enough to join the team travelling to the south coast.

Mikel Arteta had given a cautiously optimistic update on both players in his press conference earlier on Tuesday, and it seems as though the medical staff ultimately decided they were okay to travel.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Arteta had also passed Max Dowman and David Raya fit, though it’s possible Dowman will continue to build his match sharpness with the Arsenal academy for now.

After a couple of months out of action, having very little senior experience to begin with, it would be quite an ask to have Dowman featuring in key matches in the Premier League title race so soon after making his comeback.

Saturday’s game against Mansfield Town is one the young midfielder has a better chance to feature in.

Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images

Mikel Merino and Ben White are certainly out, and the last injury doubt surrounds Martin Odegaard. Given there’s been no suggestion that the Norway international is travelled, it looks as though he might be unavailable as well.