Brighton man facing more time on the sidelines after three month absence – Fabian Hurzeler’s worrying update.
All the latest team news for Brighton and Hove Albion ahead of the Premier League trip to Bournemouth
Brighton’s experienced midfielder James Milner appears no closer to a return ahead of their clash at Bournemouth this Saturday.
Milner, 38, started the first three matches of the Premier League season but injured his hamstring during the first half of Brighton’s 1-1 draw at Arsenal on August 31.
It was initially said to be a “small issue” but three months later the former Liverpool man is still on the side-lines and no timescale has been given for a possible return.
“I can’t give a clear schedule,” said Hurzeler in his pre-match press conference. “The medical department, the physios, they work hard with him day to day, week to week, but I can’t give the clear schedule as to when he will be back. It can be fast, it can take a little bit longer – I don’t want to give any schedule or date as to when we’ll see him back on the pitch.”
Skipper Lewis Dunk, another of Brighton’s experienced campaigners, has also been struggling of late and has missed the last four matches with a calf injury, sustained in the warm-up to the Wolves match.
Huzeler added: “Lewis Dunk has been training. Let’s see how the next two days are going. But he’s close. Ferdi [Kadioglu] had a small issue after the game against Liverpool.
“He wasn’t able to play the games for the Turkish national team. We also shouldn’t take any risks. I don’t think that he will be an option for the weekend.”
