Brighton & Hove Albion are set to be without Lewis Dunk for their Premier League clash with Southampton.
The 33-year-old is to miss a second match in a row after not featuring against Chelsea last Friday. He suffered an injury to his ribs in the match against the Blues in the FA Cup a fortnight ago.
Brighton make the short trip to St Mary’s Stadium to face bottom-side Southampton on Saturday, but Dunk is extremely unlikely to be a part of Fabian Hurzeler’s plans.
Such is the nature of the injury, it is unclear when Dunk could make a return to action. He is not yet training so the German boss will have to navigate through things without one of his centre-backs.
Fabian Hurzeler on Lewis Dunk’s injury
Club captain Dunk has played 20 games across all competitions this season. He had a period out with injury from late October to the end of November and in total he has missed six games during different points of the campaign.
With Dunk absent last week, Hurzeler opted to go with a centre-back trio of Joel Veltman, Jan Paul van Hecke and Adam Webster. Webster had a period out with injury and was missing from early October to the start of 2025. He has been in and out of the team since he returned but started against Chelsea last week and should get the nod once again.
“It is an injury, an issue where I can’t say it will take two weeks, it will take three weeks,” said Hurzeler to The Argus.
“Everyone who knows Lewis, he is trying really hard to get back on the training pitch as quick as possible.
He added: “But, at the moment, he has a lot of pain and we really have to go day by day.
“It is an area near the ribs so I think everyone who had something with the ribs knows it can be very painful.
“We really have to go day by day because I think it can also turn quickly and then he can be an option maybe the next week already.”
Brighton pair to return
Pervis Estupinan and Solly March are both in contention to make a return to the side. Left-back Estupinan has been missing for the last four games, whilst March has been out for a similar period because of muscular problems. Both players are being considered as ‘options’ ahead of the match against the Saints.
News of Estupinan and March’s return is good with the injury list now dwindling. Igor Julio is out for the remainder of the season, whilst Ferdi Kadioglu is still sidelined with a toe injury he had to have surgery on.
James Milner is making good progress after missing the majority of the campaign because of a hamstring injury whilst Jason Steele could come back in the next few weeks after having shoulder surgery.
“He is training very hard,” Hurzeler added on Milner. “Very professional and very supportive for players, for me and for the coaching staff.”
