Forgotten Brighton man spotted in training ahead of Crystal Palace after 14-match absence

Brighton received a welcome boost ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

Brazilian defender Igor Julio has been sidelined since the start of January after he injured his hamstring in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal at the Amex Stadium.

The 26-year-old was ruled out for the season but Igor was spotted back on the grass and training with the group ahead of the Selhurst Park clash.

The match will clearly arrive too soon for the former Fiorentina man and as yet there is no indication when he will be back in first team action but the fact he’s training is a sign of progress for the Seagulls.

It also arrives at a welcome time as defender Adam Webster looks as though he will miss the rest of the season after he suffered a hamstring injury in the FA Cup loss to Nottingham Forest.

Skipper Lewis Dunk has also missed chunks of the season with calf and rib issues and made his first start in six matches during last Wednesday’s 3-0 Premier League loss to Aston Villa at the Amex Stadium.

Dunk was replaced by debutant Eiran Cashin on 78 minutes against Villa but Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler insisted Dunk will be ready to face Palace.

Albion are keen to hit back in style against their old rivals Palace. With eight games to go, the eighth-placed Seagulls sit only five points behind fourth spot ahead of Saturday’s trip to Selhurst Park.

The glass is half full

Hurzeler, whose side suffered a 3-1 home loss to Palace in the reverse fixture, has urged his players to prepare for a succession of finals during the run-in.

“The whole season we have to deal with setbacks and it’s always about how you come back,” he said.

“It is always the question, if the glass is half full or half empty, and I always see it as a half-full glass and that’s the main message.

“It’s to see all the upcoming games like a final, and like this we have to prepare, and like this we will go into the games.

“Everything in the past was in the past and now it’s really about winning something and we have to be on our highest level.

“We need two things. We need this togetherness and we need this positive energy.

“We will go all in with the staff, with all the players and then we see what we get.”

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