Arsenal team news: Update on Wieffer and Kadiolgu

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Albion will look to make it three consecutive wins this Saturday.

2024-08-29T11:00+01:00

Mats Wieffer started Albion's opening game against Everton, but was not in the squad for our win over Manchester United. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion will look to make it three consecutive wins on Saturday as they face Arsenal at The Emirates, kick-off 12.30pm.

Team news

Ferdi Kadioglu was revealed to the crowd at the Amex on Tuesday night. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler confirmed that Matt O’Riley will require ankle surgery after being injured in the 3-0 win over Crawley Town.

He did add though that their might be a place in his squad for another new signing, Ferdi Kadioglu.

“It is an opportunity [to include him], hopefully, yes,” Hurzeler said. “Ferdi is very flexible. He can play a lot of positions and now we have to see because he hasn't trained with the team a lot.

“We have to see today, tomorrow, how he integrates. Maybe he will be an option in the squad, maybe not. So we just have a look together on the situation, then we'll make a decision.”

The head coach was also unsure about a return for Mats Wieffer.

“I don't think that he's an option yet. We have to wait today and tomorrow, but it's like 49/51 [that he will be involved].”

Fabian’s thoughts…

Pervis Estupinan was back in action on Tuesday night after a long injury lay-off. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

On Pervis Estupinan: “I think when he is his best shape, he's one of the best left backs in the Premier League. He's full of energy. He's full of power. Now we have to reintegrate him as quickly as possible because he had a long injury.

“After long injuries to come back is not easy. He missed a lot of content and a lot of technical things also in the preseason. It's important now to get from a mix between video sessions and then the pitch sessions.

“That's why I think that he will be a great player for us again, but we shouldn't put pressure on him because after long injury the players need time to adapt and that will be important.”

On outgoings before the window closes: “There will be outgoings, but again, these are all decisions that are internal, and when they are ready to be public, we will let you know as soon as possible.”

The facts

Arsenal have won three of their last four Premier League games against Brighton (L1), as many as they had in their first 10 against them beforehand (D3 L4).
Brighton have won three of their seven Premier League away games against Arsenal (D1 L3). They’re one of just three teams to have won more or as many visits to the Emirates as they’ve lost in the competition, along with Manchester City (W7 L6) and Swansea City (W3 L3).
Brighton failed to win any of their seven Premier League away games against London sides last season, drawing three and losing four. Their last victory in the capital was a 3-0 victory at Arsenal in May 2023.
Victory for Arsenal in this game would see them win their opening three Premier League games in a season for a second time under Mikel Arteta (also 2022-23), which would be as many times as they did so prior to his arrival as manager (in 2003-04 and 2004-05 under Arsene Wenger).
For the third time in the last four seasons, Brighton have won their opening two Premier League matches. The Seagulls haven’t won their opening three league games in a season since 2011-12 in the Championship.
Arsenal have won each of their last eight Premier League games, since a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in April. They last won nine in a row between January and March 2004.
Fabian Hürzeler is just the fourth Brighton manager to win his opening two league games in charge, after Alan Mullery (August 1976), Jeff Wood (January 1999) and Micky Adams (April 1999), none of whom won their third game.
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz has been involved in nine goals in his last eight Premier League appearances at Emirates Stadium (6 goals, 3 assists), while his first home league goal for the Gunners came against Brighton in December last year.
Bukayo Saka has been involved in 17 goals in his last 19 Premier League appearances for Arsenal (12 goals, 5 assists), assisting in each of their first two games in 2024-25. The only Arsenal player to assist a goal in the first three games of a Premier League season was Thierry Henry in 2004-05.
Danny Welbeck is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time since January 2014, while the last player to score in each of Brighton’s first three league games in a single campaign was Nicky Forster in 2008-09.