James Milner is missing from the Brighton squad, picked to face Burnley at Turf Moor.
The 40-year-old has been a key part of the Albion team, which has won four of the last five matches. He has added much needed stability and experience to Fabian Hurzeler’s side.
But the veteran is missing for the trip to Burnley.
Sussex World understands the record Premier League appearance holder has picked up an injury – but the exact nature of it is yet to be revealed.
Injured: James Milner is missing from the Brighton squad, picked to face Burnley at Turf Moor. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
Injured: James Milner is missing from the Brighton squad, picked to face Burnley at Turf Moor. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Yasin Ayari has replaced Milner in the centre of midfield. The Sweden international has been on the bench for the previous three games after recovering from a shoulder injury. He is making his first start since the 1-1 home draw against Everton on January 31.
Brighton’s only other change is also enforced, with Olivier Boscagli replacing the suspended Lewis Dunk.
Bart Verbruggen starts, as usual, between the sticks – with a four-man defence of Mats Wieffer, Jan Paul van Hecke, Boscagli and Ferdi Kadioglu. Joining Ayari in midfield is Pascal Gross and Jack Hinshelwood, whilst Diego Gomez, Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck lead the attack.
Hinshelwood starts on his 21st birthday, despite managing a ‘small issue’ with his knee.
Hurzeler has a wealth of high quality options on the bench, should Plan A not be fruitful. Kaoru Mitoma, Solly March, Georginio Rutter and Charalampos Kostoulas are the attacking options, whilst Carlos Baleba, Maxim De Cuyper, Joel Veltman, Igor Julio and Jason Steele complete the substitutes’ bench.
Albion will hope to pick-up exactly where they left off as they resume Premier League action.
The Seagulls were on a fine run of form just prior to the latest international break with four wins from their last five top flight fixtures.
Hurzeler's men are tenth in the table and another good result at relegation-destined would boost Brighton's chances of competing in Europe next season.
Hurzeler said: "I always said through the whole season, the players will get their chance.
"They just have to make sure they're ready when the chance is there, and now the opportunity is there.
"Lewis will be suspended for two games and that means there are opportunities for others and that's what football is about.
"It's about working hard, it's about accepting the role in the right moment.
"You need to be there, you need to use your chance, and now others will get the chance, and now it's about using this chance."
Hurzeler is serving a touchline ban after the fiery German picked up his sixth booking of the season against Liverpool.
"I think we have a lot of other leaders who can solve it on the pitch and beside the pitch," Hurzeler said, in his pre-Burnley press conference.
"Regarding me, we already had the situation against Brentford where my assistant teams and my staff made an incredible job and we could win this game.
"Regarding Lewis, of course, he played unbelievably well in the last weeks,
"But also there we showed that we have a lot of options to replace him.
"We showed that we not only have options, we have really good options to replace him. So therefore I'm quite confident that the team is strong enough to handle these things.
"I will give them a lot of responsibility on the pitch, and they proved it in the season so far that they can handle it and I'm quite confident that they will manage it on and off the pitch well."
Brighton: Verbruggen, Van Hecke, Minteh, Hinshelwood, Welbeck, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Gomez, Ayari, Wieffer, Gross.
Subs: Steele, Julio, March, Rutter, Baleba, Kostoulas, Mitoma, De Cuyper, Veltman.
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