Key Brighton attacker injured and set to miss Tottenham clash

Brighton are set to be without one of their key attackers as they travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham PotterBrighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter
Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter

Alireza Jahanbakhsh has been struggling with a hamstring injury sustained during the Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United at the Amex Stadium on September 30.

The Iranian winger hobbled off on 50 minutes with what was thought to be a minor tweak but the injury has taken much longer than expected to heal.

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Jahanbakhsh had been decent for Albion in the League Cup matches and scored cracking goals in victories against Portsmouth and Preston.

The 27-year-old was pushing hard for a starting role in the Premier League but the troublesome injury has scuppered his chances.

Brighton were hoping to have Jahanbakhsh available for selection at Tottenham this Sunday but Albion boss Graham Potter admitted the match will arrive too soon for the attacker.

There was however better news for Dutch international Davy Propper. The midfielder has not started a Premier League match this season due to an Achilles problem but could be in line for a return at Spurs.

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"He's getting closer and an outside chance he'll be in the squad on Sunday," said Potter.

There could also be another starting role for Propper's Dutch international colleague Joel Veltman. The former Ajax defender started his first Premier League game for Albion against West Brom last Sunday, due to the suspension of skipper Lewis Dunk.

Dunk will also miss the clash at Tottenham and Veltman could be in a defence tasked with keeping the excellent Harry Kane and Son Heung Min quiet.

"He played at centre-back, did well," said Potter of Veltman's display against West Brom. "A good character, he’s been really, really good in the group and in the team and I like him a lot so yeah, happy with what he did."

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Son's header from Kane's flick-on during their 1-0 win at Burnley last Sunday was the ninth time this season the duo have combined for a Premier League goal - and 29th in total.

"There’s always an opponent and the opponent at the weekend is Kane and Son," said Potter. "They are probably as good a partnership as there is at the moment in the Premier League.

"In incredible form, fantastic, talented players, so as much as we think we have a right to win a game of football, we’ve got other top players against us that also want to try and win and we’d be foolish to not take that into consideration.

"We have to believe we can win," Potter added. "I'll always maintain that. The players are a fantastic group and a young squad. We're in the most difficult league in the world and every game is a fight for us."