Brighton injury news: Albion boss issues Kaoru Mitoma update ahead of Manchester City and Chelsea

Mitoma, 25, injured his ankle in the second half of the 2-0 loss at Brentford last Friday and sat out of last night's frustrating 0-0 stalemate with Nottingham Forest at the Amex Stadium.

The Japan international has been used as an impact substitute of late and impressed from the bench at Liverpool and also in the narrow 1-0 loss to Tottenham.

Mitoma has the ability to unlock tight defences and his skills would have been handy during the match against Forest where Brighton dominated but failed to take a host of chances.

Roberto De Zerbi's team remain seventh in the Premier League but admits Mitoma is unavailable for the City match this Saturday and also the Chelsea clash the following weekend.

"There is a problem," said De Zerbi after the Nottingham Forest match. "I think he [Mitoma] can come back in 10-15 days. I think after that he can play with Brighton and after that will be the World Cup."

The Italian is still seeking his first win for Brighton having replaced Graham Potter last month but De Zerbi said experiencing the war in Ukraine means he has nothing to fear in football.

De Zerbi, who left his role as Shakhtar Donetsk manager following the Russian invasion, was happy with the dominant display but conceded his side need a greater attacking threat following three games without a goal.

“I enjoy a lot (the performance); I am sorry for the result,” said De Zerbi, who has taken two points from a possible 12. I say the same words to the players. I say, ‘thank you’ to the players because they played a fantastic game.

“OK, we have to improve the last 25 metres and we have to work. But I cannot say anything more. I stayed five days inside the war and I’m not afraid of football. Normally I am sorry for the result because in four games only two points is not too much.”