Marcelo Bielsa has spoken to the media to preview the upcoming Premier League encounter with Brighton & Hove Albion. 

The Whites travel away from home for the second week running, with the match getting underway at 5:30pm at The AMEX Stadium, live on Sky Sports.

The head coach began by giving an in-depth update on the fitness of his squad at this moment in time.

Bielsa said: “Jamie Shackleton is available, Raphinha is available, Rodrigo is available. 

“Luke Ayling is healthy, it’s likely he will play with the Under 23s on Monday [against Manchester City], as a further step to his total recovery. 

“The only two players in the period of their final recovery are Robin Koch and Patrick Bamford. 

“Bamford has an injury in his ankle, it has been a serious injury, and the evolution changes that’s why his definitive recovery is extended. Koch had to go for a surgery and the terms of his recovery are what was expected. 

“You can’t be absolutely precise, and that’s why I always say it is subject to the evolution depending on how it goes when they recover.”

On the match itself, Graham Potter’s Seagulls are ninth in the table, after beginning the campaign by winning four out of their opening five matches. 

“Brighton are a team that is flexible in the way they line up and they play players in different positions, which makes them difficult to play against,” Bielsa explained. 

“They do this very naturally and efficiently. The previous games [against Brighton] are referential but that’s about it, because every game is new.

“The results that we’ve obtained up until now are those that position us in the table where we are. 

“The performances in the last period have been improving and what we deserved allows us to think we should have had a few more points.

“I don’t ignore the reality and I always fight to reverse a negative moment, or period.”