Lewis Dunk absence explained for Brighton vs Chelsea and £40m star unleashed once again
All the latest team news for Brighton and Hove Albion ahead of Chelsea
Brighton skipper Lewis Dunk was a notable absentee from the starting XI to face Chelsea at the Amex Stadium.
Dunk, 33, has been struggling with a rib injury, which he sustained during the first half of last week’s FA Cup fourth round victory against Chelsea.
The skipper had a scan this week and was unable to train ahead of the Premier League clash against Enzo Maresca’s fourth-placed team.
Dunk has now missed six top flight matches this season, having struggled with calf issues earlier this term. Adam Webster, who replaced Dunk at halftime against Chelsea, replaces the captain and will partner Jan Paul van Hecke in the centre of Brighton’s defence. It’s the only change to Fabian Hurzeler’s XI that started against Chelsea in the Cup six days ago.
"He [Webster] is a leader,” said Hurzeler in his pre-Chelsea press conference. “He's always there for the team. He's so supportive. He's so helpful. He's sometimes also the voice from this team and every time when we need him he's there and I think that's something special. He can replace Lewis if he's not able to play. And I'm really confident that no matter who will play that he will play a good role on Friday night.”
Tariq Lamptey, who delivered a man of the match display against his former club last week, keeps his place at left back as Pervis Estupinan remains sidelined with a “muscular” injury.
"He [Lamptey] is on the best way because first he showed already some great performances he was, man of the match in the last game and he fully deserved it,” Hurzeler added.
“Now it's about getting consistency into his performances, proving himself that he can do this the same time, that he can play that intense the same time, that he can win this amount of personal duels at the same time and therefore it's also a challenge for himself. I'm really looking forward to see how he will perform.”
The reliable Joel Veltman is in his normal right back role with Carlos Baleba and Jack Hinshelwood resuming their midfielder partnership. Flying winger Yankuba Minteh is on the right flank with Kaoru Mitroma, fresh from his winner last week against Chelsea, keeping his spot on the left.
Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck lead the line, with Joao Pedro once again settling for a place on the bench. Brighton January signings Eiran Cashin and Diego Gomez are on the bench and Mats Wieffer is back in the matchday squad for the first time since December following a knee injury.
Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Veltman, Van Hecke, Webster, Lamptey, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma, Welbeck. Subs: Rushworth, Gruda, Pedro, Adingra, Cashin, Gomez, Ayari, Wieffer, O'Riley.
Meanwhile, Maresca made four changes to his team that went to down to the Seagulls last week. Filip Jorgensen replaced former Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez in goal. Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernandez and Noni Madueke all come in as Tosin Adarabioyo, Jadon Sancho and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are benched.
Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, Gusto, Colwil, Chalobah, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Neto, Palmer, Madueke, Nkunku. Subs: Sanchez, Adarabioyo, Sancho, Dewsbury-Hall, James, Anselmino, George, Acheampong, Amougou.