AliousBrighton will once again be without captain Lewis Dunk as they prepare to take on Southampton at St. Mary’s on Saturday. The experienced center-back picked up a rib injury during the FA Cup victory over Chelsea, forcing him off at halftime. He subsequently missed Brighton’s dominant 3-0 league win over the same opposition and remains in significant discomfort.
Manager Fabian Hurzeler acknowledged the severity of Dunk’s condition, stating, “Right now, he’s in a lot of pain, and we have to assess him on a day-by-day basis. Rib injuries can be particularly difficult, as anyone who has experienced them knows how painful they can be.”
Despite Dunk’s absence, Brighton have been in strong form, winning five of their last seven matches across all competitions. Their recent success has been an impressive response to their 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Nottingham Forest, with back-to-back victories over Chelsea in both the league and FA Cup restoring confidence.
Hurzeler remained cautious when asked about Brighton’s European qualification hopes, emphasizing a step-by-step approach. “Internally, we have clear goals and a vision, but we take things game by game. The Premier League has shown us how quickly things can change,” he said.
He stressed the importance of maintaining the team’s momentum, revealing that after the heavy defeat to Forest, Brighton focused on regaining the intensity that defined their early-season performances. “We lost some of our energy over the course of the season, so we made a conscious decision to return to the fundamentals that made us strong. We want to be a team that is very difficult to beat.”
Looking ahead to the Southampton clash, Hurzeler made it clear that Brighton must approach the game with the same determination as they did against Chelsea. “I expect my players to bring the same intensity regardless of the opponent. Whether it’s Chelsea or Southampton, our approach cannot change.”
On the injury front, Brighton continue to be without James Milner (hamstring), Igor Julio (hamstring), Jason Steele (shoulder), and Ferdi Kadioglu (toe). However, there is some positive news, as both Pervis Estupiñán and Solly March—who have been dealing with muscular issues—are now under consideration for selection.
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