Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler could make as many as nine changes to his starting line-up for Wednesday's Carabao Cup fourth-round clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The Seagulls remain third in the Premier League despite Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool, but a demanding fixture schedule and growing injury list have forced Hürzeler to reconsider his team selection.
Brighton face City twice in four days before travelling to Spain for a Conference League encounter with Getafe.
Brighton injury latest ahead of Manchester City
Brighton are dealing with several fitness concerns following their defeat at Anfield.
Ferdi Kadioglu and Chema Andrés both suffered hip injuries against Liverpool, while Kaoru Mitoma remains sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Evan Ferguson and Stefanos Tzimas are also unavailable, with Tzimas continuing his recovery from an ACL injury.
Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer are approaching returns, although neither is guaranteed to start.
Pascal Struijk is another absentee, potentially opening the door for Michael Svoboda to feature in central defence.
Hürzeler planning major squad rotation
Jason Steele is expected to replace Bart Verbruggen in goal after impressing during Brighton's comeback victory over Manchester United in the previous round.
Costinha and Jaouen Hadjam could occupy the full-back positions, with Svoboda partnering Olivier Boscagli in central defence.
Malick Yalcouyé is pushing for a midfield start alongside Pascal Groß, while Jack Hinshelwood could feature in an advanced role after recovering from an ankle injury.
Matt O'Riley and Ibrahim Osman are expected to provide width, with Georginio Rutter potentially leading the attack.
Hürzeler may rest several regular starters, including Lewis Dunk, Luka Vušković, Diego Gómez and Charalampos Kostoulas.
Brighton predicted starting XI vs Manchester City
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Goalkeeper: Jason Steele
Defenders: Costinha, Michael Svoboda, Olivier Boscagli, Jaouen Hadjam
Midfielders: Malick Yalcouyé, Pascal Groß
Attacking midfielders: Matt O'Riley, Jack Hinshelwood, Ibrahim Osman
Striker: Georginio Rutter
Injured: Kaoru Mitoma, Evan Ferguson, Stefanos Tzimas, Pascal Struijk
Fitness concerns: Ferdi Kadioglu, Chema Andrés, Mats Wieffer, Yankuba Minteh
Key Points
- Brighton could make nine changes against Manchester City.
- Jason Steele is expected to start in goal.
- Kaoru Mitoma, Evan Ferguson and Stefanos Tzimas remain sidelined.
- Georginio Rutter could lead Brighton's attack.
- The Seagulls face Manchester City twice before travelling to Getafe.
What's Next?
Brighton travel to the Etihad Stadium for Wednesday's Carabao Cup fourth-round fixture before returning to face Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.
Hürzeler must balance the pursuit of cup progression with protecting his squad ahead of a demanding European schedule.
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