Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma is fit to face Fulham after recovering from an injury sustained against Newcastle United.
Mitoma is set to continue his record under Fabian Hurzeler at Brighton of never missing a Premier League game.
The Japanese left-winger has shrugged off an injury scare in Sunday’s 2-1 win after-extra-time at Newcastle in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Mitoma signalled to the bench that he was struggling before going down on the pitch for treatment in the closing stages of the FA Cup fifth-round tie. He was seen gesturing towards his left knee and was replaced in the 91st minute by Solly March.
Head coach Hurzeler, speaking at his press conference this morning for Fulham’s visit tomorrow, said: “He just had a cramp, so he will be an option.”
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Hurzeler has relied on Mitoma more than any other player this season since the German head coach took charge last summer. He has been involved in all 27 of Brighton’s Premier League games, including 24 starts.
He is in a rich vein of form, with five goals and an assist in his last nine outings. He is also joint top scorer for the club across all competitions on eight goals with Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck. Brighton rejected bids of £54million and £61m for Mitoma from Al Nassr in the January transfer window. The player had no interest in making the move to the Saudi Pro League.
Fulham, a point and a place below eighth-placed Brighton in the table, have been jinx opponents. They are the only current Premier League rivals Brighton have not beaten during the club’s top flight area since 2017, with a record of four draws and five defeats in nine meetings.
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