Fabian Hurzeler has not ruled Jack Hinshelwood out of Brighton's trip to Chelsea, but the midfielder is being handled on a day-by-day basis after a small issue in training on Wednesday. The match at Chelsea vs Brighton is on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. Hinshelwood scored twice in Brighton's opening-day 4-0 win over Aston Villa, so even a short absence would be felt.
Hurzeler's update on Hinshelwood
Hurzeler's wording suggested caution rather than alarm. “He had a small issue in a training session, nothing big, but for the weekend it might be too close,” he said, while also saying, “I think with Jack we have to be more patient. Let's see how the next weeks are going.”
That leaves Brighton with a late decision rather than a hard no. Hurzeler also said, “I didn't see them yet today but there might be a chance for one of them to be in the squad,” which keeps the door open a little wider than the first read of the training setback might suggest.
The one thing Brighton do not sound ready to do is rush him back. Hinshelwood has made 1 appearance this season and scored 2 goals in it, with a 9 rating in his latest league outing before the issue.
Brighton's wider fitness problem
Hinshelwood is not the only player Brighton are trying to manage. Hurzeler said on the sidelines are Kaoru Mitoma, Evan Ferguson, Stefanos Tzimas and Yankuba Minteh, and Georginio Rutter also missed Thursday's game with a minor issue.
He added, “A team should never rely on one player. A team should be capable of replacing players.” That is the part Brighton now have to live by before Stamford Bridge. Rutter looks likelier to be involved than Hinshelwood, but the manager's updates still point to a squad that will need checking right up to kick-off.
The useful detail for Brighton is that the issue does not sound serious. The awkward part is the timing, with a Sunday trip to Chelsea and a player who has already delivered twice in limited minutes this season.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
