Neal Maupay could be fit for Brighton’s Premier League clash with Everton on Saturday, manager Graham Potter has said.
The Frenchman, who has scored in both of the Seagulls’ games in a winning start to the season, suffered a shoulder injury against Watford last weekend.
The 25-year-old did not appear for the second half of the 2-0 victory at the Amex Stadium after landing awkwardly following a challenge with Oghenekaro Etebo.
“It’s positive,” said Potter at a press conference to preview Tuesday’s Carabao Cup trip to Cardiff. “He is away from pain at the moment.
“It doesn’t require surgery or anything like that, it’s about seeing how he responds to contact. He seems quite fine. He has got an outside chance for the weekend.
“I said after the game we were hopeful it would be days rather than weeks and it looks like it is going to be that.”
Another player to have caught the eye for Potter’s men this term is midfielder Yves Bissouma.
The Mali international’s form has sparked speculation over whether other clubs could be tempted to make a bid for him before next week’s transfer deadline but Potter insists the 24-year-old is happy with Albion.
Potter said: “We are used to it. It’s good. If you are getting that talk he and we are obviously doing something well.
“We’re pleased for him. He’s enjoying his football and he showed his qualities at the weekend. I thought he was fantastic.
“You can’t control what people say on the outside but he’s happy with us and we will keep working with him.”
Potter, a former Swansea manager, is likely to make a number of changes for the midweek trip to south Wales.
They will face another unbeaten side with Cardiff having won two and drawn two in the Sky Bet Championship as well as seeing off Sutton in the previous round.
Potter said: “Mick McCarthy has done a good job there, he’s a very experienced manager. They play to their strengths well and they have got some dangerous players. It will be a really tough game.
“We have to balance everything. We have had a disrupted pre-season. The boys have done fantastic to achieve what they have in the first two matches but playing Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday is a challenge at this stage and you’ve got a squad that would benefit from a game.
“We’ll want to try to win the game as normal but we will be making some changes, of course.”
Brighton winger Solly March, meanwhile, has signed a contract extension until 2024. The 27-year-old has made 188 league appearances since signing from Lewes in December 2011.
