'Kaoru Mitoma' - Six Brighton players back from injury after the international break
All the latest team and injury news for Brighton and Hove Albion
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler will hope for good news from the treatment room during and after the international break.
The Seagulls are second in the Premier League after last Sunday’s 2-0 win against Brentford at the Amex Stadium. Their lofty position is all the more impressive as they have been juggling quite a lengthy injury list.
Brighton still have six players unavailable but the the likes of Yankuba Minteh, Georginio, Mats Wieffer and Ferdi Kadioglu are now fit once again having spent spells on the sidelines.
Albion resume top flight action on November 22 at Hull City and will hope to welcome a number of players back to the first team picture.
Brighton injury list in full
Kaoru Mitoma: The Japan international is yet to feature this season due to a serious hamstring injury sustained at the back end of last season.
Hurzeler hopes to have Mitoma available for the clash at Hull but admits the 29-year-old winger may need a bit longer: “There's big belief and big hope that this will be the case,” said Hurzeler to Sussex World.
“But it might be that we need one or two weeks longer. So, I can't say this is the date or this is the game where he will be back. I think after a long injury you have to be patient with player and some players return quicker, some players need more time,
“We know that if he's back on his highest level, he will be very important for us.”
Stefanos Tzimas: The Greek striker is back in full training after his ACL injury and could be available to face Hull. “Yes, he's a little further than Kaoru,” said Hurzeler to Sussex World. “He seems to be quite on a really good level.
“He was training when we were away, and therefore I see him back on the pitch with the team after the international break.”
Pascal Struijk: The £18m arrival has struggled a bit with a thigh issue and the centre back has not featured since he was dismissed in the win at Sunderland. “With Pascal we have to go day by day.” said Hurzeler.
The international break will hopefully provide enough time for Struijk to recover but Brighton do have options at centre back with Lewis Dunk, Michael Svoboda, Luka Vuskovic and Olivier Boscagli all available.
Femi Azeez: The deadline day arrival from Millwall was “getting closer” ahead of the match against Brentford and should be available for selection at Hull City.
The Nigerian winger has gone through a fitness “adaption process” as he meets the demands of Hurzeler’s Brighton. Azeez will compete with the likes of Minteh, Diego Gomez and Zadok Yohanna for minutes on the right wing.
Zadok is back
Zadok Yohanna: The £22m summer arrival is back training with the first team as the winger - similar to Azeez - gets up to speed with Brighton’s training methods.
The youngster should be available to face Hull City and expect him to get some minutes in the upcoming Uefa Conference League matches.
Evan Ferguson: The Ireland international striker is still recovering from ankle surgery and is yet to feature this season. Hurzeler refused to place a timeline on the striker’s potential return date and stressed the need for patience.
“We have to wait some more weeks,” said Hurzeler last month.
