Brighton & Hove Albion stars March and Welbeck out for ‘a long time’ | OneFootball

Brighton & Hove Albion pair Solly March and Danny Welbeck face extended spells on the sidelines due to injuries sustained in their recent Premier League clash with Manchester City.

March suffered a potentially serious knee injury deep into stoppage time during Brighton’s hard-fought 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.

The 29-year-old midfielder was subsequently stretchered off the pitch and replaced by Jan Paul van Hecke.

Welbeck was forced to exit the match in the 16th minute due to a hamstring issue, with Evan Ferguson stepping in as his replacement.

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the grim news on Wednesday ahead of their Europa League clash with Ajax.

De Zerbi said (The Athletic): “Solly, unfortunately, is a very, very tough injury, a very important injury. We will lose him for a long time. Welbeck is in a similar situation.”

This isn’t the first time March has faced a challenging injury. In February 2021, he suffered a torn meniscus, which kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

March has been a crucial figure for Brighton this season, making seven Premier League appearances and contributing three goals and an assist.

His versatility has made him indispensable for De Zerbi.

March’s adaptability was evident against Liverpool when he played left-back during the absences of Pervis Estupinan and Tariq Lamptey, demonstrating his ability to seamlessly adapt to different positions.

The injury news comes at an unfortunate time for Brighton as they gear up to face Ajax in the Europa League on Thursday, presenting a significant challenge for the squad’s depth.