Brighton injury news: Fabian Hurzeler confirms quadruple boost before Liverpool Premier League clash

Brighton & Hove Albion will be boosted by the return of four players for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool at Anfield.

The Seagulls travel to Merseyside on the back off rescuing a point in a 1-1 home draw with West Ham United last weekend, a result which has kept them inside the top eight and just three points behind fourth spot.

Brighton have not been at full strength for the majority of this season and have had to cope without star winger Kaoru Mitoma since the end of September, with the Japan international recently suffering a setback in his recovery from an ankle problem.

Former Liverpool midfielder James Milner has been sidelined since October with a “minor” muscle issue, while Yasin Ayari (muscle) and Tom Watson (unspecified) both missed the draw with West Ham.

However, head coach Fabian Hurzeler has provided a positive update on all four Brighton players, while also delivering a fresh update on the fitness of long-term absentees Solly March and Adam Webster (both knee).

Mitoma, Milner, Ayari, Watson all available for Liverpool clash

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Hurzeler said: "We have Kaoru Mitoma, James Milner, Tommy Watson and Yasin Ayari back. That’s the positive news.

"They are definitely options to be in the squad (against Liverpool), so we have decisions to make. It will mean some players will be out of the squad, but I think it's a positive thing that we have to make decisions on which players are in the squad and which players are not.

"Kaoru has overcome the pain issue and he trained well this week, so he will be an option. Solly [March] I think he will be back in two or three weeks and unfortunately Adam [Webster] is still out, but besides that it is quite positive."

Hurzeler added: "It is important to have the availability, but much more important is to keep the availability. To have the availability for one game is good, but it has to be consistent.

“It has to be through the whole phase of games. It is important to keep the availability, not only one game. We try to keep working hard for them."

Meanwhile, one disappointing piece of news issued by Hurzeler is that striker Stefanos Tzimas will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season as he requires surgery on a knee injury.

Tzimas ruled out for rest of season with knee injury

The 19-year-old made eight substitute appearances for the Seagulls, scoring his first goal in a 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago, before he was handed his first Premier League start in Brighton’s 4-3 home defeat to Aston Villa on Wednesday.

However, Tzimas was withdrawn in the 24th minute with a knee injury, with Hurzeler initially stating that he would be out for “months” before confirming on Friday that he will not return before the season comes to a close.

"Stefanos Tzimas will miss the whole of the season. I hope he will be back in pre-season,” said the Seagulls boss.

"I can confirm that (an ACL injury). He has already started his rehab. He will have surgery soon. We have big trust in the doctors and in our medical department.

"We are quite convinced that he will be back as quickly as possible and in even better shape."

Danny Welbeck will be tasked with starting more regularly as the central striker for Brighton in the absence of Tzimas, while 18-year-old summer signing Charalampos Kostoulas and Georginio Rutter are other options at Hurzeler’s disposal.

Hurzeler has also commented on the possibility of Brighton recalling Evan Ferguson from his loan spell at Roma following Tzimas’s injury blow.