Fabian Hürzeler has named a starting line up with four changes as Brighton and Hove Albion prepare to face Sunderland at the Amex Stadium this afternoon (Saturday 20 December).
Georginio Rutter is down to wear the captain’s armband with Lewis Dunk suspended, alongside Diego Gomez. Veteran striker Danny Welbeck is missing through injury.
Rutter will lead the attack, with Brajan Gruda, Yankuba Minteh and Ferdi Kadioglu in support and Yasin Ayari and Jack Hinshelwood also in midfield.
The defence consists of Maxim De Cuyper, Olivier Boscagli, Diego Coppola and Mats Wieffer, with Bart Verbruggen in goal.
Ayari, De Cuyper and Boscagli were all on the bench last week while Coppola wasn’t even in the match-day squad.
Those missing from the starting line up at Anfield last weekend include the suspended duo of Dunk and Gomez and Carlos Baleba who has been called up for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The fourth absentee is Jan Paul van Hecke – ever-present until today. He is understood to be ill.
Brighton start the day 10th in the table, with 23 points from 16 matches, while eighth-place Sunderland have 26 points from the same number of games.
After three matches without a win, Albion will be wanting to add to their single point from their first three games this month.
Sunderland visit on a high, having beaten north east rivals Newcastle 1-0 last Sunday (14 December).
Regis Le Bris is giving former Seagulls winger Simon Adingra a rare start while Tommy Watson, who scored Sunderland’s winner in last season’s Championship play-off final, is named as a sub for Brighton.
