Minteh Injury Leaves Brighton Short on the Right for Months

Minteh Injury Leaves Brighton Short on the Right for Months

Brighton are set to be without Yankuba Minteh for two to three months, The Athletic reported on Friday. The Minteh injury costs Fabian Hürzeler his No 11 for the start of the season. The Albion open their Premier League campaign against Aston Villa a week on Sunday.

The nature of the problem has not been reported. This Is Anfield, which has followed Liverpool’s summer interest in Minteh, called it a long-term injury. Two to three months from Friday takes him past the middle of October.

What the Minteh injury means for Brighton’s opening month

Four fixtures inside a fortnight go without him. Bologna visit the Amex on Saturday. The away leg of the Conference League play-off follows in Tromso next Thursday. Then comes the home league opener against Villa, with the play-off return at the Amex on the other side of it.

The timing is unhelpful. Hürzeler goes into the final friendly of pre-season with several players light on minutes. A behind-closed-doors training match on Thursday was arranged to top them up. There is at least a plan for that side of the pitch: The Argus reports that Diego Gómez and Mats Wieffer are set to work the right flank from the start of the campaign. Neither is a winger, and Minteh’s absence asks more of both.

Saturday’s 3pm kick-off against Bologna is the last look at this side before the points count. How the Albion cover the right without Minteh is the thing to watch.