Jamie Murphy is on course for a return to Albion’s starting line-up against rock-bottom Rotherham at the Amex tomorrow night.
Kazenga LuaLua is banned for a match following his fifth booking of the season against Hull for a first half foul.
Murphy, bought from Sheffield United last month for around £1.5 million, replaced LuaLua on the left-wing in the closing stages and is in pole position to deputise against the Millers.
LuaLua’s absence could also prompt the inclusion in the squad of Elvis Manu, the last of the eight first team squad signings during the transfer window. The versatile £1.5 million striker from Feyenoord was not in the 18 against Hull as he settles into his new surroundings.
Bobby Zamora, who made his first home appearance for 12 years as a late substitute, is still being eased back to peak fitness.
Boss Chris Hughton said: “With Bobby it’s been about getting him up to speed. When he’s at the levels he wants to be at and we want him to be at then, of course, there is always a decision to be made.”
Hughton is keeping a lid on expectations by sticking to the pre-season target of a top ten finish after the table-topping Seagulls’ flying start of five wins and a draw.
He said: “One thing we won’t change is what we said at the start of the season, that we’d like to see ourselves in a position where we can at least challenge to go up and that certainly means at least pushing for top six. If I looked at last season, apart from the top six there were probably four other teams very close to it. The initial target was to put ourselves in a position to challenge and that’s still the same.”
Albion’s under-21s play Aston Villa at Walsall tonight (7pm).
Original article
Kazenga LuaLua is banned for a match following his fifth booking of the season against Hull for a first half foul.
Murphy, bought from Sheffield United last month for around £1.5 million, replaced LuaLua on the left-wing in the closing stages and is in pole position to deputise against the Millers.
LuaLua’s absence could also prompt the inclusion in the squad of Elvis Manu, the last of the eight first team squad signings during the transfer window. The versatile £1.5 million striker from Feyenoord was not in the 18 against Hull as he settles into his new surroundings.
Bobby Zamora, who made his first home appearance for 12 years as a late substitute, is still being eased back to peak fitness.
Boss Chris Hughton said: “With Bobby it’s been about getting him up to speed. When he’s at the levels he wants to be at and we want him to be at then, of course, there is always a decision to be made.”
Hughton is keeping a lid on expectations by sticking to the pre-season target of a top ten finish after the table-topping Seagulls’ flying start of five wins and a draw.
He said: “One thing we won’t change is what we said at the start of the season, that we’d like to see ourselves in a position where we can at least challenge to go up and that certainly means at least pushing for top six. If I looked at last season, apart from the top six there were probably four other teams very close to it. The initial target was to put ourselves in a position to challenge and that’s still the same.”
Albion’s under-21s play Aston Villa at Walsall tonight (7pm).
Original article