Joao Pedro has suffered an ankle injury in training, with Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler not sure on how long he will be sidelined for.
The 23-year-old has scored five Premier League goals this season, including the equaliser for the Seagulls in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal last time out.
The Brazil international missed a string of games earlier in the season due to an ankle problem and he is set to miss out again due to a similar injury.
Brighton go to Norwich in the FA Cup on Saturday and speaking ahead of that game, Hurzeler ruled Pedro out, unsure of when he will return.
‘I would love to have him on the pitch also on the FA Cup, but he twisted his ankle in training yesterday and he have to wait for the MRI (scan) for any clear results on that,’ said the Seagulls boss.
It is a blow to Hurzeler who heads to Carrow Road without a win in eight matches, although six of those games have ended in draws.
The manager is dealing with a number of injury issues, but there is a chance that Danny Welbeck could return for the FA Cup outing.
The England international has not played since 8 December due to an ankle issue of his own but is pushing for a return.
‘We’ll have to see about Danny tomorrow—he might be part of the group,’ said Hurzeler. ‘But for Mats Wieffer, it’s too early. Joao and Lewis Dunk will also miss this game, so we have some issues.
‘That said, I’m confident the squad will still be strong enough to compete and win.’
Brighton are back in Premier League action on Thursday 16 January, so Welbeck will certainly hope to be back for that one, while Pedro’s status remains unclear.
Hurzeler remains without Ferdi Kadioglu and James Milner who are out until next month.
On the importance of breaking their winless run at Norwich, the German said: ‘It’s always important to get positive results, regardless of the competition. Winning builds confidence, belief, and trust, and it creates a better atmosphere. However, I try to focus on the process and performance.
‘If we stick to our philosophy and work hard, the results will follow. Chasing results without a clear structure or identity can cause long-term problems.’