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Brighton and Hove Albion’s likely XI to face Fulham at the Amex Stadium – Saturday, 3pm
Fabian Hurzeler will have to decide who leads the attack as Brighton welcome Fulham in the Premier League later today.
Brazilian striker Joao Pedro, who was called up to his national team this week, ran himself into the ground a last weekend at Newcastle during the 2-1 FA Cup fifth round win.
The £30m signing from Watford was visibly cramping towards the end and will have been closely assessed by the medical department this week.
Brighton's German head coach Fabian Hurzeler has some tough selection calls to make ahead of FulhamBrighton's German head coach Fabian Hurzeler has some tough selection calls to make ahead of Fulham
Brighton's German head coach Fabian Hurzeler has some tough selection calls to make ahead of Fulham
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"I said to him directly after the game that he's not fit enough so he can't have cramps after 120 minutes, that's a joke,” said Hurzeler with a smile.
"He needs of course to work on his body, to play this intensity for 90 minutes, I know we had a very tough game for 120 minutes so that's all fine.
"I'm very pleased that he suffered for the team, I'm very pleased that he suffered as an individual person so he really sacrificed a lot in this game to give the team the success.
“Therefore he fully deserves to be back in the Brazilian national team and I'm really happy for him because he worked hard to get this chance. I know that it's a big, big honour for him to play for his country.”
Danny Welbeck came off the bench at Newcastle to the net the winner and could be in contention for his first start since the 3-0 win against Chelsea. Welbeck has eight goals in all competitions this term and also scored the winner from the bench in the last Premier game against Bournemouth.
"He's an extra coach for the young players, and he's a role model for the young players,” said Hurzeler. “So he's very helpful regarding his leadership role, but he's also very helpful on the pitch because he's not only a great goal scorer, he proved it years by years now, he's also a really hard worker on the pitch.
"He has the mindset that he's the first defender and no one can pass me, and that's the main thing, what I demand from an offensive player.”
Elsewhere Jack Hinshelwood will likely slot in a right back to cover the suspended Tariq Lamptey and midfielder Mats Wieffer could make his first start in 10 top flight matches, having recovered from a knee injury. It is however a close call between Wieffer, Diego Gomez and Yasin Ayari.
Kaoru Mitoma also suffered with cramps at Newcastle but has been passed fit to play and Yankuba Minteh – who has been shortlisted for February’s Premier League Player of the Month – is set to resume on the right flank.
Predicted XI 4-2-3-1: Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan; Baleba, Wieffer; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck.
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