Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler has confirmed Kaoru Mitoma is available to face Chelsea on Tuesday but fellow attacker Diego Gomez will miss out.
Both players went off injured in Brighton’s 2-2 draw away to Tottenham on Saturday.
Gomez lasted only 20 minutes before having to be replaced by Mitoma, who went on to score Brighton’s superb equaliser following Pedro Porro’s opening goal of the game.
After 75 minutes, though, Mitoma pulled up as well and was himself substituted. Maxim De Cuyper was introduced in his place.
But Chelsea’s off-form defence will have to find a way to stop Mitoma, as the Japanese international was just dealing with cramp and “is available”, according to the Seagulls’ head coach.
Paraguayan international Gomez is out, however, and is due to undergo a re-scan so Brighton staff can be sure of the severity of the problem.
Asked whether Gomez could play against Chelsea, Hurzeler revealed not but added that the injury initially appears to be “not that bad”.
Chelsea have injury concerns of their own ahead of a huge game at the Amex.
Joao Pedro was not part of the squad for Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Manchester United due to a thigh injury but there is hope the Brazilian can return in order to line up against the club Chelsea bought him from last summer.
Estevao went off earlier on against United with a hamstring injury and was in tears at half-time. Head coach Liam Rosenior will provide an update on his situation when he conducts his press conference on Monday afternoon at Cobham.
