Joao Pedro injury: Brighton star to miss Tottenham game with uncertainty over return date
Brighton striker Joao Pedro has been ruled out of this weekend’s game against Tottenham.
The Seagulls head to north London looking to return to the European qualification places in the Premier League table, and having comfortably beaten Spurs earlier in the season.
Pedro scored twice in that 4-2 win and notched in last weekend’s beating of Crystal Palace to push his goal tally for the campaign to 19 in all competitions.
However, he will sit out Saturday’s match with Brighton unsure when he will return.
“Unfortunately, [Pedro] has a hamstring injury,” revealed assistant manager Andrea Maldera in Friday’s press conference.
“He had a scan two days ago, had another one this week. He has a problem, we don't know how many weeks. We don't want to take a risk.”
Brighton are yet to decide whether Kaoru Mitoma will be ready to start after he returned from the Asian Cup, while Solly March, James Milner, Julio Enciso and Simon Adingra, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations, remain unavailable.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi is banned from the dugout but also fighting to be fit to take his place in the stands, following “invasive” dental surgery.
Spurs will welcome Yves Bissouma back from his AFCON stint with Mali, while Heung-min Son is also back in the fold after his Asian Cup tournament ended.