Brighton & Hove Albion vs Nottingham Forest preview - Duo in contention for Seagulls

Posted Friday, February 06, 2015 by PA

Brighton can add new signing Beram Kayal and fit-again winger Kazenga LuaLua to their squad for the visit of Nottingham Forest.

Midfielder Kayal last week joined the Seagulls from Celtic for an undisclosed fee and LuaLua played for the reserves in midweek after recovering from the knee injury which has sidelined him since November.

Striker Sam Baldock is a doubt with a hamstring strain and Andrew Crofts remains sidelined by cruciate ligament damage, but fellow midfielder Dale Stephens is close to returning after a long-term ankle injury.

On-loan Forest defender Greg Halford, who has been struggling with a calf problem recently, is ineligible to face his parent club.

Long-term absentees Chris Cohen and Andy Reid will be the only players unavailable to new Reds boss Dougie Freedman for his first game in charge.

The last time both midfielders played was in a 1-1 draw with Derby at the City Ground in mid-September. Cohen suffered a serious knee injury during that game while Reid has since been sidelined by a few problems, the most recent of which is a groin injury that required surgery.

Freedman, who replaced Stuart Pearce on Sunday, must decide whether to make changes or name the same team that began what was Pearce's final game in charge last weekend - a dismal 1-0 home defeat to Millwall.

Goalkeeper Karl Darlow, defenders Eric Lichaj, Daniel Fox, Danny Collins and Jamaal Lascelles, midfielders David Vaughan and Jamie Paterson and strikers Matty Fryatt, Lars Veldwijk and Dexter Blackstock are all options for Freedman should he wish to freshen things up.