Brighton Team News Page 3 - Soccer

Mats Wieffer - Starting in defense Wieffer (ankle) is in the starting XI for Sunday's season finale against Manchester United.

Impact Wieffer made his return from the ankle issue that had ruled him out of the last two fixtures, with coach Fabian Hurzeler handing him a starting role after confirming he would be an option for the final match of the campaign. The versatile midfielder has been one of Brighton's most important players this season, and his immediate return to the lineup is a significant boost for the Seagulls heading into the Manchester United clash. He has contributed two goals, three assists, 71 clearances, 64 tackles and 20 chances created across 25 Premier League appearances this season.

MAY 24 • ROTOWIRE

Mats Wieffer - Option to return Wieffer (ankle) is an option to return for Sunday's season finale against Manchester United, according to coach Fabian Hurzeler, per Andy Naylor of The Athletic.

Impact Wieffer had been ruled out of the Leeds United fixture as he continued to manage an ankle issue, but coach Hurzeler's positive update is an encouraging sign heading into the final fixture of the campaign. The versatile midfielder has been one of Brighton's most important players this season with two goals, three assists, 71 clearances, 64 tackles and 20 chances created across 25 Premier League appearances, and getting him back for the Manchester United clash is a welcome boost for the Seagulls heading into the season finale.

MAY 21 • ROTOWIRE

Yankuba Minteh - 11 crosses Sunday Minteh registered 11 crosses (three accurate) and one chance created in Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Leeds United.

Impact Minteh recorded 11 crosses in Sunday's loss, the third time in his last five appearances he's recorded at least 11 crosses. Despite that volume he only created one chance and he also did not manage a single shot in the match. He was subbed off in the 93rd minute for Solly March, just before Dominic Calvert-Lewin won the match for Leeds.

MAY 18 • ROTOWIRE

Pascal Gross - 11 crosses Sunday Gross generated two shots (two on goal), 11 crosses (three accurate) and four corners in Sunday's 1-0 defeat versus Leeds United.

Impact Gross recorded 11 crosses in Sunday's loss, the fourth time this season he's recorded double-digit crosses. He also created four chances for the fourth time this season and put a season-high two shots on target in his very productive day on the attack. He completed the full 90 minutes in his 13th consecutive Premier League match.

MAY 18 • ROTOWIRE

Diego Gomez - Three shots in return Gomez generated three shots (zero on goal) and one cross (zero accurate) in Sunday's 1-0 defeat against Leeds United.

Impact Gomez, who missed the last three matches due to a knee injury, made his return to the pitch Sunday when he replaced Joel Veltman in the 65th minute. He took three shots in his 25 minutes off the bench, but failed to put any of them on target. He may be able to return to the starting XI in Sunday's season finale versus Manchester United.

MAY 18 • ROTOWIRE

Bart Verbruggen - Concedes once Sunday Verbruggen had one save and allowed one goal in Sunday's 1-0 loss against Leeds United.

Impact Verbruggen conceded one goal Sunday, a Dominic Calvert-Lewin goal in the 96th minute which served as the very late winner. He also made just one save in his second straight outing. He faces Manchester United Sunday in the season finale with his side likely needing a win to secure a spot in Europe next season.

MAY 18 • ROTOWIRE

Mats Wieffer - Misses call Sunday Wieffer (ankle) is ruled out for Sunday's clash against Leeds United.

Impact Wieffer has been unable to pass his fitness assessment despite manager Fabian Hurzeler expressing optimism about his availability after the right-back had been trending in the right direction following his failure to clear a late fitness test ahead of last weekend's fixture against Wolverhampton. Brighton will have to continue deploying Ferdi Kadioglu out of position at right-back, with the coach unable to restore his preferred defensive setup for the penultimate fixture of the season. Wieffer has started 22 of his 25 Premier League appearances this term, tallying two goals, three assists, 71 clearances, 64 tackles and 20 chances created, and his availability for the season finale will be monitored closely.

MAY 17 • ROTOWIRE

Diego Gomez - Option off bench Gomez (knee) is on the bench for Sunday's clash against Leeds United.

Impact Gomez made a faster-than-expected return from his knee injury, with manager Fabian Hurzeler confirming he would definitely be an option after the playmaker had been targeting the season finale against Manchester United on May 24 as his return date. Brighton opted to ease him back carefully with a bench role rather than throwing him straight into the starting lineup given the type of injury, with his availability ahead of schedule a welcome boost for the final stretch of the campaign. He has started 25 of his 30 Premier League appearances this season, tallying five goals and one assist, and his return strengthens his case for a spot in Paraguay's squad for the 2026 World Cup.

MAY 17 • ROTOWIRE

Kaoru Mitoma - Left out of Japan WC squad Mitoma (hamstring) has been left out of Japan's World Cup squad by coach Hajime Moriyasu after it was determined he would not be able to recover fully during the tournament.

Impact Mitoma had been in a race against time to prove his fitness following the hamstring injury that ended his Premier League season with Brighton, but the national team's medical staff ultimately concluded the timeline was too tight to guarantee him being available throughout the competition. The Japanese winger ends a season heavily disrupted by injuries with three goals, one assist, 30 chances created and 46 crosses across 25 Premier League appearances (19 starts), having shown his quality whenever fit before the hamstring issue brought his campaign to a premature end. It is a deeply unfortunate conclusion for one of the most exciting wide players in the Premier League, who had been expected to be a centerpiece of Japan's attacking setup at the tournament.

MAY 14 • ROTOWIRE

Kaoru Mitoma - World Cup status unknown Mitoma (hamstring) is out for the remainder of the league season, but remains in doubt for the World Cup, according to manager Fabian Hurzeler. For us, he will be out and will miss...

Impact Mitoma is still recovering from a somewhat serious hamstring injury, which leaves the attacker in a spot where he may miss the World Cup. Unfortunately, it appears his club and national team have no further information on his recovery, as it appears the decision to add him to the roster will be made at the last second. This is a rough spot to be for the attacker, as he was set to be a centerpiece of the Japanese squad and was in decent form, but now in a race to be fit.

MAY 14 • ROTOWIRE

Diego Gomez - Will return vs Leeds Gomez (knee) could be available for Sunday's game against Leeds United, according to manager Fabian Hurzeler. "He [Gomez] will definitely be an option for Sunday."

Impact Gomez was targeting a return to the squad for the season finale against Manchester United on Sunday, May 24, but he recovered quicker than expected. If fit, Gomez should be a lock to make Paraguay's squad for the 2026 World Cup. The playmaker has started in 25 of his 30 Premier League appearances this term, tallying five goals and one assist.

MAY 14 • ROTOWIRE

Mats Wieffer - Could be available Sunday Wieffer (ankle) could be an option for Sunday's game against Leeds United, according to manager Fabian Hurzeler. "Yes, there's an option that he'll be available on Sunday, but ther...

Impact Wieffer didn't pass a late fitness test to face Wolverhampton the past weekend, but the right-back is trending in the right direction toward being available here. If he's ready to go, he could start right away in place of Ferdi Kadioglu, a left-back who started on the right flank the last time out against the Molineux side. Wieffer has started in 22 of his 25 Premier League appearances this season, tallying two goals, three assists, 71 clearances, 64 tackles and 20 chances created.

MAY 14 • ROTOWIRE

Kaoru Mitoma - World Cup hopes slashed Mitoma (hamstring) is in a race to be fit for the World Cup, but it appears unlikely at the time, according to manager Hajime Moriyasu, per Jiji.com. "I hope it's a minor injury, b...

Impact Mitoma went down a few days ago and will now be in a race for fitness heading into the Summer, as a hamstring injury could stop him from playing in the World Cup. This would be a major blow to Japan, as he is one of their more skilled attackers and was slated for a starting role if fit for the tournament. He will now race to work on his fitness in the next few weeks, although a return ahead of their opener against the Netherlands on June 14 is unlikely.

MAY 12 • ROTOWIRE

Diego Gomez - Targeting return for season finale Gomez (knee) was ruled out of Saturday's clash against Wolves but is hopeful of featuring in Brighton's final Premier League fixture against Manchester United, though he will not r...

Impact Gomez revealed he feared the worst when he landed awkwardly on his left knee during the draw against Tottenham in April, admitting his first thought was the World Cup with Paraguay. The midfielder is not yet fully fit but is recovering well and remains focused on being at 100 percent for the tournament this summer, where he is expected to be one of Paraguay's standout players in a competitive Group D alongside the United States, Turkiye and Australia. Gomez has contributed five goals and one assist across 30 Premier League appearances, setting career highs in defensive output with 77 tackles, 16 interceptions and 27 clearances, having become just the third Paraguayan to score five or more goals in a single Premier League season.

MAY 12 • ROTOWIRE

Japan Waits on Star Forward Mitoma's Fitness For 2026 World Cup After Injury

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu has an anxious wait on the fitness of star forward Kaoru Mitoma before naming a World Cup squad Friday.

MAY 11 • FOX SPORTS

Japan Waits on Star Forward Mitoma's Fitness For 2026 World Cup After Injury

Pascal Gross - Five crosses in 3-0 win Gross registered one shot (one on goal), five crosses (two accurate) and two corners in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton.

Impact Gross attempted five crosses, including two from corners, as Brighton won 3-0 against Wolves. Gross has continued his run as Brighton's main set-piece taker, despite only coming midway through the season. He completed two of his five crosses and created one chance. He has created at least one chance in each of the last seven matches.

MAY 11 • ROTOWIRE

Maxime De Cuyper - Two assists in 3-0 win De Cuyper assisted twice to go with seven crosses (four accurate) and five corners in Saturday's 3-0 win over Wolverhampton.

Impact De Cuyper assisted Jack Hinshelwood and Lewis Dunk for the opening two goals as Brighton went on to beat Wolves 3-0. He returned to the starting lineup for the 15th time this season but hasn't started since February 8th. These two assists bring him up to three for the season and his six chances created were the first time he has completed more than four in a game this season.

MAY 11 • ROTOWIRE

Yankuba Minteh - Scores to seal 3-0 win Minteh scored one goal to go with one shot (one on goal), five crosses (two accurate) and two chances created in Saturday's 3-0 win over Wolverhampton.

Impact Minteh scored Brighton's third goal as they went on to win 3-0 over Wolves and keep themselves in the hunt for European football. This was the winger's third goal of the season and his first in six games. Minteh has started the last seven games in a row, bringing him to 25 starts from Brighton's 36 games this season. He also created two chances, his best in the last four games.

MAY 11 • ROTOWIRE

Lewis Dunk - Scores second in 3-0 win Dunk scored one goal to go with four shots (one on goal) in Saturday's 3-0 win over Wolverhampton.

Impact Dunk scored one of his four shots against Wolves to put his team 2-0 ahead. They would go on to win 3-0 in their quest for European football. This was Dunk's first start in the last five games, having only played two minutes in the last game against Newcastle. He completed 96 of his 103 pass attempts. This was also the second time this season he has taken more than two shots in a game.

MAY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Jack Hinshelwood - Scores opener in 3-0 win Hinshelwood scored one goal to go with two shots (one on goal) in Saturday's 3-0 win against Wolverhampton.

Impact Hinshelwood opened the scoring for Brighton in the opening minutes against Wolves. He linked up with Maxim de Cuyper to build towards a crucial result for Brighton's progress towards European football. This was his fourth goal of the season, three coming in the last three games. He has taken two or more shots in the last three games and has six shots on target across these matches.

MAY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Bart Verbruggen - One save in clean sheet win Verbruggen had one save and secured a clean sheet in Saturday's 3-0 victory against Wolverhampton.

Impact Verbruggen was only required to make one save as Brighton won 3-0 against Wolves. This was his 10th clean sheet of the season and his fifth in the last 10 games.

MAY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Kaoru Mitoma - Comes off injured Mitoma suffered an apparent injury in Saturday's 3-0 win over Wolves.

Impact Mitoma is worrying Japanese fans Saturday after he needed to come off in the 58th minute of Saturday's match, appearing to have suffered a hamstring injury. This is a major storyline for the Japan National Team, as with the World Cup just a month away, he could be set for the sidelines. A regular hamstring injury would likely knock him out for close to three weeks, although any sort of tear could end his World Cup hopes.

MAY 9 • ROTOWIRE

Diego Gomez - Misses call Saturday Gomez (knee) is ruled out for Saturday's clash against Wolves.

Impact Gomez has been unable to pass his fitness assessment despite coach Fabian Hurzeler expressing some hope over his condition during the presser, with the caution surrounding his involvement proving well-founded as Brighton refused to take any risks with his recovery. The forward had been targeting a return before the end of the season, but the club prioritized his long-term wellbeing with the World Cup with Paraguay also looming. Kaoru Mitoma is expected to continue in a larger attacking role, with Gomez's availability for the final fixtures of the campaign to be monitored closely.

MAY 9 • ROTOWIRE

Mats Wieffer - Out to face Wolves Wieffer (ankle) is ruled out for Saturday's clash against Wolves.

Impact Wieffer has been unable to pass his fitness assessment after coach Fabian Hurzeler had already described his involvement as unlikely following the ankle injury that forced him off in the 18th minute of last weekend's clash against Newcastle. The Dutch right-back is an undisputed starter for Brighton, and his absence leaves a notable gap at right-back, with Ferdi Kadioglu starting on the right flank to cover in his place. Hurzeler made clear he was unwilling to rush him back before he is genuinely ready, with Wieffer's availability for the coming fixtures to be monitored closely.

MAY 9 • ROTOWIRE

James Milner - Back on bench Milner (undisclosed) is on the bench for Saturday's clash against Wolves.

Impact Milner returned to contention after missing four consecutive fixtures without any clarity on the nature of the issue, with coach Fabian Hurzeler confirming his availability ahead of the weekend fixture. The midfielder's presence gives the coach more options in the middle of the park, with Yasin Ayari expected to retain his starting role after covering during Milner's absence. His return to the starting lineup is expected to follow in the coming fixtures as Brighton push through the final stretch of the season.

MAY 9 • ROTOWIRE

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Japan Waits on Star Forward Mitoma's Fitness For 2026 World Cup After Injury