Injury-hit Brighton lose Kaoru Mitoma for ‘around six weeks’, Roberto De Zerbi confirms | OneFootball

Kaoru Mitoma calls for the ball during game for Brighton

Roberto De Zerbi expects injury-hit Brighton to be without wingers Kaoru Mitoma and Simon Adingra for between four to six weeks.

Mitoma suffered an ankle issue during last week’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, while Adingra sustained a hamstring problem at Selhurst Park.

The pair are among up to 10 Seagulls players set to miss Thursday evening’s Premier League clash with Tottenham.

“Tomorrow we have more or less 10 injured players, maybe eight but (the other) two players can’t start the game,” said Albion boss De Zerbi.

“Mitoma is one of them. We lost Kaoru for around six weeks – four, five, six weeks.

“Adingra, I think he needs four, five weeks (recovery). Tomorrow, no Mitoma, no Adingra.”

Japan international Mitoma is now a doubt for the Asian Cup, which begins on January 12, while Ivorian Adingra’s participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts the following day, is uncertain.

Ninth-placed Brighton will also be without Ansu Fati, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Webster, Solly March, Julio Enciso and Joel Veltman against Spurs.

Left-back Pervis Estupinan, who has not featured since November 9, and midfielder Adam Lallana may only be fit for appearances from the bench at the Amex Stadium.

De Zerbi believes the Seagulls’ Europa League commitments may have contributed to the lengthy list of absentees.

Yet he acknowledges rival top-flight managers, including Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, have faced similar injury issues.

“This season, a lot of injuries were unlucky because March, Pervis Estupinan, Enciso and Mitoma, they are not muscular injuries,” he said.

“We are paying maybe for playing every week three times.

“I would like to play with the complete squad but Tottenham played a lot of games without seven, eight players and I never heard Postecoglou cry. It’s football and we have to accept it.

“I think we can compete in the same way. Maybe on the bench we have not the same quality with a complete squad but we have maybe more energy with the young players.”

De Zerbi twice suffered defeat to Spurs during his first season in English football, with Harry Kane the match-winner on each occasion.

The Italian is full of admiration for Albion’s fourth-placed opponents, who have had to adapt under Postecoglou after selling all-time record goal-scorer Kane to Bayern Munich in the summer.

“They play great football, their style is clear – I love their style,” he said.

“They have great players and in terms of courage, personality on the pitch, they are one of the best teams in this moment in the Premier League, in Europe.”