Albion taking it slow with Fati: Luton v Brighton team news
The return of Ansu Fati to the Brighton team will have to wait a little longer after Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the forward will not be included in the Albion squad for the trip to Luton Town.
Fati returned to full training last week but De Zerbi is taking an ultra-cautious approach to easing him back in after two months out with a muscle problem.
“Ansu Fati isn’t available,” the Albion head coach said in his pre-game press conference. “It’s a risk and for him, especially for him, because he’s important for us in the second part of the season, we can’t take any risks now.”
Fati was not risked for Brighton’s 5-2 win at Sheffield United on Saturday either. The Crystal Palace game this weekend could also come too soon for him, although that will not stop Brighton fans from dreaming of the player with a €1 billion release clause in his Barcelona contract coming off the bench and notching a couple of goals against the old enemy.
Team news for Luton Town v Brighton was otherwise thin on the ground. De Zerbi confirmed he has the same squad to select from as for the Sheffield United match but that he may make changes to the starting XI.
Adam Webster looked like a bloke who had never played football in his life during five costly minutes at Bramall Lane, meaning he should be a certainty to drop out.
Lewis Dunk clearly comes back into the side, but whether that is as a straight swap for Webster or De Zerbi reverts to a back four remains to be seen.
James Milner has enjoyed a recent run of games since the absences of Fati, Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra and Solly March coincided to leave Brighton without any natural wingers.
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Joao Pedro surely cannot be rested after his hat-trick heroics whilst Facundo Buonanotte is in the best form of his Brighton career and deserves to keep his starting place.
The Albion last visited Kenilworth Road in the southern section final of the Paint Pot in 2009. Unsurprisingly, nobody in the current Seagulls squad was involved on that grim night which acted as the final curtain for Micky Adams‘ second spell in charge.
Dunk was 15 months away from his Brighton debut. Jack Hinshelwood’s dad, Adam, missed the game through injury.
The referee for Luton v Brighton will be Rob Jones, who last took charge of the Albion at the Etihad Stadium back in October.
Mr Jones sent off Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji on that occasion. He was also the man in the middle when Julio Enciso scored his second-best goal of last season as Brighton won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
