Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi has said that he will make a late call on the fitness of forward Joao Pedro before naming his team for Saturday's Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.
Pedro, a club-record summer signing from Watford, is Brighton's top scorer this season in all competitions having found the net 18 times in 31 appearances.
However, the Brazilian was unable to add to his goal tally in the Seagulls' heavy 4-0 loss at Luton Town on Tuesday and was forced off with a knee injury sustained when attempting to win the ball back midway through the second half.
De Zerbi stated after the game that Pedro's injury "was caused by frustration" but he was hopeful that the forward's issue is not a serious one.
James Milner, meanwhile, was withdrawn in the first 20 minutes of the defeat to Luton and was later spotted leaving Kenilworth Road wearing a leg brace.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, De Zerbi confirmed that Milner would miss Brighton's home clash with M23 rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday and could be sidelined for a lengthy period, but Pedro has an outside chance of featuring in some capacity against the Eagles.
"James Milner can't play and I don't know when he can play, but not for three, four games," De Zerbi explained. "Tomorrow we decide about Joao [Pedro]."
Pervis Estupinan was another Seagulls star who was taken off in the loss at Luton due to injury, but De Zerbi has insisted that the left-back "is okay" to play on Saturday.
Meanwhile, defender Joel Veltman is closing in on a return having been sidelined since mid-December with a knee injury.
"Joel Veltman is still out. I don't know how many more days he needs, but he's very close," said De Zerbi.
However, one player who could return to Brighton's matchday squad this weekend is Barcelona loanee Ansu Fati, who has taken part in training this week after two-and-a-half months out with a hamstring injury.
"Ansu Fati can maybe come on the bench," De Zerbi added. "I don't know how much time he can play, tomorrow morning we can speak with the staff and make the right decision."
Elsewhere on the injury front, Solly March and Julio Enciso are both still recovering from long-term knee injuries, while Japan's Kaoru Mitoma and Ivory Coast's Simon Adingra are still away at the Asian Cup and Africa Cup of Nations respectively.
Brighton, who have failed to win any of their last three Premier League games, currently sit ninth in the table, eight points clear of Saturday's opponents Crystal Palace in 14th place and four points adrift of West Ham United in sixth spot. body check tags ::
