Albion head coach Oscar Garcia has blamed Kazenga LuaLua’s stop-start season on a persistent knee problem.

The explosive left winger is expected to return from the kick-off against Sheffield Wednesday at The Amex tomorrow night after coming off the bench early in the second half of the 2-0 defeat at Ipswich.

Cardiff loan signing Craig Conway was preferred at Portman Road as the pattern of LuaLua alternating between a starting role and substitute continued.

Oscar told The Argus: “Kaz has a problem on his knee and he cannot play many minutes in all the games. We knew before if he had played for the whole game then maybe on Tuesday we cannot use him.

“Sometimes he has pain, sometimes not, but if he plays many minutes he has pain.”

Oscar does not expect LuaLua to need surgery. “No, because he’s had this from the start of the season,” he said. “Sometimes he has to rest, he cannot train. We have to manage this.”

Oscar also has an open mind about using fellow Spaniard Bruno in midfield again after the fit-again right-back made his first start since the opening day of the season in the centre of the park at Ipswich. “He started his career in this position,” said Oscar. “I think it’s a position he can play well in.

“He can help us. We have many injuries in midfield and we are trying to improve the team with some players that don’t usually play there.

“We want to have players that can play in many positions and then it will be easier for them to play. If they can play in only one position it will be more difficult for some players.”

Albion welcome top scorer Leo Ulloa back from a three-match ban against Sheffield.