Graham Potter and the Danny Welbeck dilemma

Graham Potter faces a delicate balancing act this season when it comes to Danny Welbeck, the spearhead of Brighton & Hove Albion’s attack.

The head coach knows how important it will be to keep Welbeck fit and in form and the temptation will be to tread carefully, bearing in mind the former Manchester United, Arsenal and England forward’s history of injury setbacks.

That will be the case more than ever this time, with the World Cup in Qatar slap bang in the middle of the season in November and December. Potter’s side will play nine games in 43 days in the lead-up to the World Cup, including a Carabao Cup third-round tie at Arsenal in November. They will also squeeze a minimum of 10 matches into 54 days once the World Cup ends, from Boxing Day onwards if they reach the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Welbeck’s welfare in the first taste of fixture congestion was responsible for his absence from the starting line-up in last night’s first defeat of the season, against Fulham at Craven Cottage.