The injuries sustained by Brighton & Hove Albion’s wings, Kaoru Mitoma and Simon Adingra, may cause the team to take a four- to six-week break from competition, according to manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Crystal Palace and Adingra played a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park last week. The former injured his ankle, and the latter sustained hamstring strains.
In addition to the two already stated, up to twelve more Seagulls players are expected to be absent from Thursday’s match against league leaders Tottenham Hotspur.
“We have maybe eight or ten injured players for tomorrow’s game, but the other two can’t start,” Brighton boss De Zerbi stated on Wednesday before the match.
“Mitoma is one of them. At most, Kaoru had been gone for four, five, or six weeks. I think Adingra should take a four- or five-week vacation. Not tomorrow, Adingra or Mitoma.”
It is currently unknown whether Ivory Coast attacker Adingra will compete in the Africa Cup of Nations and whether Japan international Mitoma will play in the Asian Cup on January 12.
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Brighton, who are now leading the rankings, will also be without Ansu Fati, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Webster, Solly March, Julio Enciso, and Joel Veltman when Tottenham visits town. Midfielder Adam Lallana may only be able to substitute.
De Zerbi points out that Albion’s involvement in the Europa League may have played a role in their injury problems, but he also highlights the challenges faced by other Premier League managers, such as Ange Postecoglou of Spurs.
“This season, a lot of injuries were unlucky because March, Pervis Estupinan, Enciso, and Mitoma are not muscular injuries,” De Zerbi stated. “We are paying maybe for playing every week three times.”
“I want to play with the full squad, but Tottenham played a lot of games without seven or eight players, and I never heard Postecoglou cry,” the Italian went on to say. After all, football is just a game.
“I think we can compete in the same way. We might not have as much depth on the bench with a full roster, but our younger players might be more driven.”
Spurs overcame De Zerbi twice in his debut football season in England, with goals from Harry Kane sealing the win each time.
The leading scorer in England, Harry Kane, trained with Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich during the preseason. Tottenham, in fourth place, has adjusted to life without Kane. The head coach of the Seagulls expressed gratitude for this.
“They play great football; their style is clear; I love their style,” he said. “They have great players, and in terms of courage and personality on the pitch, they are one of the best teams at this moment in the Premier League in Europe.”
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