Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler says he did not want to take a risk with Joao Pedro’s fitness for his side’s 0-0 home draw against Ipswich Town.
The forward, who scored a late winner against Manchester United and an equaliser at Arsenal before the international break, sustained a minor injury playing for Brazil in midweek.
Joao Pedro came off the bench for the second half of Brazil’s 1-0 defeat away to Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday. He was replaced against Ipswich by Brighton’s £40million record signing Georginio Rutter.
Hurzeler told The Athletic: “He had a small issue and I didn’t think we should take a risk. Of course, you might play him against Ipswich, but then we would risk and injury for two, three, four weeks. We cannot take this risk with anybody and I am happy with how all of the other players performed.
“Georginio made a good first impression. He could have scored and he made good actions. He worked well against the ball. So, in the end we can say Joao Pedro was missing but without him we had enough chances. I can’t say a clear date when he will be back, but my medical department will do a great job, so I think he will be back soon.”
Brighton remain unbeaten in the Premier League with eight points from the first four games.
They host Wolves in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday and face Nottingham Forest at the Amex Stadium four days later.
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