Is Alexis Mac Allister playing against Arsenal? £7m Brighton star’s situation explained

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Is Mac Allister playing against Arsenal? Plenty of fans have been asking the question on Google as the Gunners travel to Brighton on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta will hope that the Argentina international is not involved as he attempts to stretch Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points.

So, is Mac Allister playing against Arsenal? Let’s take a look…

Is Alexis Mac Allister playing against Arsenal?

Arsenal fans will be pleased to know that Mac Allister is not playing on Saturday.

The South American – who Brighton signed for just £7m – was not involved in training ahead of the Premier League clash, with Roberto De Zerbi telling reporters that he wants his No.10 to come back only when he is ready.

Sussex Live quote the Italian as saying: “I have to speak to Alexis but it is no problem when he comes back. The problem is players aren’t used to playing competitions like the World Cup. It was full of pressure. I want him to come back when he’s ready.”

Sussex Live add that Mac Allister is most likely to return in the New Year on January 3rd – when Brighton take on Everton in the FA Cup.

Of course, the Seagulls have others who can hurt Arsenal, but after his stunning World Cup campaign with Argentina, Mac Allister was the name most feared by fans of the Gunners.

The 24-year-old scored one goal and also provided one assist across six appearances in Qatar to help Argentina win their third World Cup.

Before jetting off to the tournament, Mac Allister had impressively scored five goals in 14 Premier League outings so far this season.

Why is Moises Caicedo not playing?

Arsenal fans will also be glad to hear that Moises Caicedo is unavailable to De Zerbi as well.

The Ecuador international picked up a yellow card in the 3-1 Boxing Day win over Southampton, his fifth booking of the campaign, which means he must now deal with a one-game ban.

As Arsenal aim to continue their momentum in the Premier League, Arteta and the supporters will be delighted to hear that Mac Allister and Caicedo are missing for Brighton.