NafisaBrighton & Hove Albion have suffered another frustrating setback ahead of their Premier League meeting with Leeds United, with Fabian Hurzeler facing yet another selection headache.
The Seagulls were already dealing with a lengthy list of absentees heading into Saturday’s clash, leaving the German manager with fewer options than he would have wanted so early in the campaign.
Brighton have shown plenty of attacking threat despite those problems, but the growing injury list is beginning to test the depth of Hurzeler’s squad.
And the latest setback is particularly unfortunate because it came in such bizarre circumstances during their dramatic defeat at Stamford Bridge.
The Seagulls have now been dealt another blow ahead of the visit of Leeds, with Mats Wieffer ruled out for the next four matches after suffering a knee injury against Chelsea.
Wieffer was involved in an extraordinary incident during Brighton’s topsy-turvy 4-3 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
The Dutchman was struck in the face by the ball before falling awkwardly, twisting his leg and appearing to injure his knee in the process.
Hurzeler summed up the bizarre sequence of events in a particularly memorable assessment ahead of the Leeds fixture.
“He fell to the ground holding his face and then hurt knee. It was like a boxer injuring his knee after being punched in the face,” was the Brighton boss’ assessment.
The injury means Wieffer will now miss the meeting with Leeds, adding another headache to a Brighton side already operating without several important players.
The 26-year-old had started both of Brighton’s opening Premier League matches this season at right-back and has increasingly been used in that position despite his midfield background. His absence could therefore force Hurzeler into another change as he attempts to cope with a depleted squad.
Brighton’s problems do not end there.
Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma remain unavailable, while Georginio Rutter and Jack Hinshelwood are also expected to remain sidelined until the next international break.
That leaves Brighton without several players who would ordinarily provide important attacking and creative options.
The timing could hardly be more awkward for Hurzeler, with Leeds arriving at the Amex looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the new Premier League campaign.
Daniel Farke’s side have already collected a win and a draw from their opening two league matches, while also progressing in the Carabao Cup.
Farke has acknowledged the quality within Brighton’s squad and warned that Leeds will need to perform at their best.
“Overall they are in really good shape. Fabian [Hürzeler] has done a fantastic job there and we travel also very respectful.
“We have to be at our best in order to be competitive.”
The Brighton boss will now have to decide how best to compensate for Wieffer’s absence.
The Dutchman’s versatility has made him a useful option for Hurzeler, particularly because he can operate in midfield or at right-back. His absence removes another player capable of giving Brighton tactical flexibility.
Despite the growing injury list, Brighton have already shown that they can cause problems going forward.
They scored three times against Chelsea despite eventually losing 4-3, while their opening-day victory over Aston Villa demonstrated the attacking potential available to Hurzeler.
But the manager will know that continuing to lose key players could eventually begin to have a serious impact.
Brighton are due to face Leeds on September 5 before travelling to face Sunderland when Premier League action resumes after the international break on October 10.
For Leeds, meanwhile, the news will provide a small boost ahead of what promises to be a difficult trip.
The Whites will still have to contend with a Brighton side capable of causing serious problems, but the absence of another established first-team player could give Farke an additional reason to believe his team can return from the Amex with a positive result.
Nafisa
