Joao Pedro to miss Norwich FA Cup trip

The Brighton forward injured his ankle in training on Wednesday

Brighton forward Joao Pedro will miss Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie at Norwich after undergoing scans on an ankle injury.

The Brazil international, who scored the Seagulls’ equaliser in last weekend’s 1-1 Premier League draw against Arsenal, sustained the issue in training on Wednesday.

Albion will assess top scorer Danny Welbeck ahead of the trip to Carrow Road but head coach Fabian Hurzeler confirmed captain Lewis Dunk remains sidelined, in addition to Jack Hinshelwood and Mats Wieffer.

Speaking of Pedro, Hurzeler, who is preparing to take charge of his first match in the competition, said: “I would love to have him on the pitch also in the FA Cup.

“But he twisted his ankle yesterday in training and we have to wait for the MRI.

“If we have any clear results about that then we can let you know but we have to wait for the results.”

Brighton travel to Norfolk seeking to end an eight-match winless run which stretches back to November.

The Seagulls have drawn six of those top-flight fixtures, including the last four.

Hurzeler wants to take Albion on another FA Cup run, having recently watched a replay of the club’s Wembley penalty shootout defeat to Manchester United in the 2023 semi-final.

“It’s a tournament where you have a chance to win a title,” said the 31-year-old former St Pauli boss.

“There are a lot of good opponents in this competition but it’s only one game and in one game anything is possible.

“I’ve experienced cup games already in Germany. Either you go far in the tournament or you’re out just as quickly. I’ve seen both sides.

“I’m really looking forward to this because we see it as an opportunity to win a title.”

Norwich sit 11th in the Sky Bet Championship, four points off the play-off places, following three wins from their last four fixtures.

Despite facing lower-league opposition, Hurzeler is taking nothing for granted as he targets an overdue victory.

“It will be a tough game,” he said. “Norwich is a great opponent.

“They play really well, build up from the back, and have good individual players.

“So, it’s not a given that we’ll go there and win. It will be hard work.

“We can’t underestimate them, and we need to work hard on the pitch to create chances to go to the next round.”

Published: 09/01/2025 by Radio NewsHub