Arsenal expert Charles Watts would not be surprised to see Mikel Arteta axe Gabriel Jesus from the first XI for Saturday's Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Brazil international struck his sixth goal in four games during the 3-1 win over Brentford on New Year's Day, where Kai Havertz was absent through illness, but the German is expected to return for the trip to the Amex Stadium.
Arsenal's only attacking options off the bench at the Gtech Community Stadium were Leandro Trossard and Ismeal Kabia, prior to which Ethan Nwaneri was their sole offensive reinforcement in the 1-0 win over Ipswich Town.
With Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka's absences depleting Arsenal's resources in the final third, Watts can envisage Jesus making way to give Arsenal another attack-minded option off the bench, telling Sports Mole: "I don't think there's an opportunity to be resting.
"I think there will be some rotation in the next few games because there are a lot coming up. You've got the two legs against Newcastle, the Manchester United FA Cup game coming up. So there will be some sort of rotation, but he's not exactly blessed with riches.
"His subs bench against Ipswich, Ethan Nwaneri was the only attacking option that he had to change the game because he basically played everyone in that starting lineup. I do wonder if we might see Jesus come back out the side again, move Havertz up top, put in Merino or Rice in that left eight role, and that just gives you another option on the bench."
Arsenal come into their battle with Brighton on the back of four straight wins in all competitions, but Fabian Hurzeler's men are struggling to turn draws into wins and played out a 2-2 stalemate with Aston Villa in their final encounter of 2024.
Why Arsenal should be wary of Welbeck-less Brighton
The Seagulls have now failed to win any of their last seven games in the Premier League, despite being praised for their expansive style of play under the competition's youngest-ever permanent manager, who has not been helped by a spate of injuries.
Ex-Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck - who scored six goals in his first nine games of the top-flight season - is among the infirm troops in the Brighton infirmary, and while Watts believes his absence is having a major impact on Brighton, he has insisted that Arsenal must still have their wits about them.
"They're a really dangerous side, Brighton," Watts added. "They play great football. Arsenal struggle against Brighton at home, notoriously struggle against them at home over the years. Drew there earlier in the season with the Declan Rice sending off. But they have done all right away from home.
"They won there very, very well last season. I think the year before they did as well. So they tend to do okay at the Amex, but struggle against them at the Emirates, which is pretty strange. It's going to be a difficult game.
"The thing with Brighton, they've obviously struggled in recent weeks. I think they're missing Danny Welbeck, he had such a good start to the season, scored so many goals for them. So he's been out of the side through injury.
"They're still playing the same great football that they play and causing teams loads and loads of problems. But they just can't finish. The game against Brentford how they didn't score in that game a couple of earlier in the week is incredible."
Arsenal's "mad period" assessed after nine-game London sequence
© Imago
When Arsenal kick off at the Amex on Saturday evening, it will mark their first game outside of London since their 5-1 Champions League decimation of Sporting Lisbon on November 26, having played each of their last nine matches in the capital.
The Gunners have never had a longer run of matches exclusively in London, and their only Premier League win outside of the capital this season came away to Aston Villa on August 24, failing to beat Manchester City, Bournemouth and Newcastle United on their turfs since.
However, Watts is unconcerned about the prospect of Arsenal finally having to venture outside of the city, labelling the nine-game London streak as nothing more than an unprecedented coincidence.
"I think it's just a quirk because they haven't played anywhere else other than London," Watts added. "It's hard to win away from London when you're not playing away from London. It's been a mad period of games, and after this game, they've got five home games in a row coming up as well.
"Brighton's hardly a long distance travel for them either, is it? It's not something I'm worried about. I think it's a quirk of a fixture list. Arsenal are good away from home. They win games away from home. So I'd have no fears that now that they're going to start playing away from London that that's going to become an issue."
The Gunners start the weekend six points below Liverpool in the Premier League table having played a game more than the Reds, but they will move to within three points should they beat Brighton, as Arne Slot's side are not back in action until Sunday's showdown with Manchester United.
Ben Knapton
