Lewis Dunk is back in the Brighton & Hove Albion squad for the final home game of the season against Liverpool on Monday.
The long-serving captain sat out last Saturday’s 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers as a precaution, because of a minor hamstring issue.
Head coach Fabian Hurzeler confirmed Dunk’s availability this morning during his press conference for Liverpool’s visit.
Hurzeler’s side kept a first clean sheet in the league for ten games in the victory at Molineux, with Adam Webster replacing Dunk in the centre of defence alongside player of the season Jan Paul van Hecke.
It was Webster’s first start since sustaining a hamstring injury in the FA Cup quarter-final exit on penalties against Nottingham Forest at the Amex Stadium in March.
Dunk has not been an automatic choice after previous injuries this season. All of his Premier League appearances for the club had been as a starter until a landmark 250th outing on his return from a calf issue as a substitute in a 1-1 home draw against Southampton in November.
Hurzeler could be without Kaoru Mitoma in the starting line-up for the fifth match running. The Japanese left-winger has been limited to substitute appearances recently due to heel and back problems.
“Kaoru had some small issues, so hopefully he will be a possibility (for the squad),” said Hurzeler.
The Liverpool players have been partying in Dubai this week and head coach Arne Slot has been on a break in Ibiza after they wrapped up the title at the end of April.
“I am not focusing on them,” Hurzeler said. “They deserved it. They won the Premier League in an impressive way. It’s not our responsibility to comment on that.
“Our responsibility is to be ready on Monday, to be the best prepared team we can be, to play a high-intensity game, to compete with a lot of individual quality.”
(Photo: Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images)