Fabian Hurzeler makes bold call on Brighton's £55m duo ahead of Ipswich

Brighton’s Brazilian striker Joao Pedro returned to the starting XI to face Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Thursday night.

Pedro had been struggling with an ankle problem sustained in training and missed the 4-0 FA Cup win at Norwich City last Saturday.

A scan revealed the injury to the £30m striker was not quite as bad as first feared and Pedro was able to train at full tilt this week ahead of his selection to face the Tractor Boys.

Pedro has five Premier League goals to his name this season – only Danny Welbeck has more with six – and looked back to his best with a fine display in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal earlier this month.

"I talked to him yesterday for a long time and he's good,” said Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on Thursday. “He’s in quite a comfortable place.

"He enjoys it here. He's happy with the performance. He would like to be on the pitch every game. You have to adapt, but he's in a good place. He's performing quite good when he's on the pitch.

"He had also some bad phases already, but that's normal. We shouldn’t forget he's still a very young player. So that's why I'm happy with him. And I'm sure that he will help us on the pitch for the rest of the season.”

Matt O’Riley was also back in the starting XI for only his fifth start of the season following his £25m summer arrival from Celtic. O’Riley was selected ahead of Julio Enciso, who drops to the bench despite his goalscoring display in the victory at Carrow Road last Saturday. O’Riley is expected to play in the No 10 role.

Kaoru Mitoma keeps his spot on the left flank after a below-par showing at Norwich and Simon Adingra could be on the right hand side ahead of Yankuba Minteh, who is on the bench having picked up a slight knock at Norwich.

There’s also a place on the bench for Solly March, who scored his first goal for the Seagulls at Norwich after almost 18 months out with an ACL injury. Brajan Gruda drops out of the matchday squad.

Skipper Lewis Dunk is fit enough for the matchday squad following his calf injury and Adam Webster, making his first Premier League start since November, captains the team in Dunk’s absence.

Georinio Rutter netted a brace at Norwich but is also on the bench as he’s struggling a little with a thigh injury. Carlos Baleba and Yasin Ayari continue their midfield partnership but there’s no place as yet in the squad for January arrival Diego Gomez.

Hurzeler said prior to the match that the £12m Paraguay international was “an option” to face Brighton but the head coach could save his new recruit for this Sunday at Manchester United.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Baleba, Veltman, Van Hecke, Estupinan, Ayari, Webster, O'Riley, Mitoma, Adingra, Pedro. Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Dunk, March, Moder, Minteh, Enciso, Rutter, Welbeck.

Ipswich Town XI: Walton, Davis, Greaves, Woolfenden, O'Shea, Cajuste, Phillips, Broadhead, Burns, Hutchinson, Delap. Subs: Muric, Johnson, Godfrey, Morsy, Luongo, Taylor, Townsend, J Clarke, Hirst.