'He's starting to do some stuff on the pitch': Mikel Arteta shares 'great news' on Arsenal injury front pre-Brighton

01/03/2025 02:15 PM

Arsenal are doing well this season as they remain firmly in the Premier League title picture and are also doing well in the Champions League and Carabao Cup.

The Gunners have done well despite a spate of injuries during the course of the season, with several first-team players still out.

Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White are all on the Arsenal sidelines due to injury.

Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber is suspended for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brighton & Hove Albion, and Kai Havertz is a doubt with illness.

Mikel Arteta, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, provided an update on the squad, with Sterling potentially back soon.

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Arteta, speaking to football.london, confirmed the “great news” involving Sterling, namely that he’s now back on the London Colney pitches.

The Arsenal manager said he expects the Chelsea loanee to potentially be back by the third week of January.

“He's starting to do some stuff on the pitch, so that’s great news,” said Arteta. “As quickly as possible we want him available.

“Let's see how he progresses next week and then see if we can get him available for the following week.”

Mikel Arteta provides Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kai Havertz updates

White is “still a few weeks away”, according to Arteta, who also thinks Havertz will be fit enough to be involved in the Brighton game.

The Arsenal boss then said of Tomiyasu: “Tomi has done some stuff on the pitch but it was a long-term injury and we need to see how quickly he can progress, and how that knee reacts.

“But hopefully (he) will be good.”

With regards to the bug that has swept through the Arsenal squad, Arteta said: “The ones with the illness, I think they are going to be okay.

“They will train today, and if everyone is fine they should be available.”

Arsenal are scheduled to kick off against Brighton at 5:30pm GMT on Saturday 4 January at the Amex Stadium.