Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi has admitted that Solly March could be out "for a long time" after the winger sustained an injury in Saturday's Premier League defeat at Manchester City.
First-half goals from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland put the Citizens in control before Ansu Fati pulled one back for the Seagulls in the 73rd minute, but the hosts eventually held on for a 2-1 victory, despite seeing Manuel Akanji sent off in the closing stages.
Brighton have seen their winless run in all competitions extended to five games, but their latest setback was marred by the nasty injury sustained to March, who was seen in tears when he was forced off on a stretcher in the 94th minute.
March appeared to awkwardly jolt his knee when attempting to win the ball back from Bernardo Silva on the touchline and was seen in serious distress on the ground before being carried off the pitch.
Speaking after the match at the Etihad Stadium, De Zerbi said he does not know the specific injury that March has sustained, but the Brighton boss fears the winger will spend a lengthy period on the sidelines.
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Brighton also lost Danny Welbeck due to injury in the defeat at Man City, with the 32-year-old striker coming off in the 16th minute with a muscle problem.
"This is the worst thing today. I think we can lose Solly March for a long time. I don't know what he's done," De Zerbi told reporters as quoted by The Argus. "And Welbeck I don't know – It's a muscular problem.
"This season is different. We are losing too many players," the Italian added. "We play against Ajax (on Thursday) a crucial game without [Pervis] Estupinan, [Tariq] Lamptey, March, Welbeck I think, Julio Enciso."
De Zerbi has confirmed that March "can't play on Thursday" against Ajax in the Europa League group stage, and the 29-year-old's injury comes as a major blow for the Seagulls who are light in the left-back department.
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March, who predominantly plays as a winger, has been forced to play at left-back in the last two matches in the absence of both Estupinan and Lamptey.
Under De Zerbi, March has blossomed into a key player for Brighton and has developed into a prolific winger in front of goal over the last 12 months.
Indeed, March contributed with just three goals and four assists in 80 appearances for Brighton under former boss Graham Potter, but he has since recorded 11 goals and nine assists in 43 matches under De Zerbi, including three goals in seven Premier League games so far this season.
The expected absence of March as well as Estupinan and Lamptey could see either Joel Veltman, James Milner or left-footed centre-back Igor Julio shift over to left-back for Thursday's home encounter with Ajax.
In the Premier League, meanwhile, defeat for Brighton at Man City has seen them slip to seventh in the table, four points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur who play host to Fulham on Monday.
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