Leon Balogun is ready to impress managers of club and country with a run of games for Albion.

The centre-back wants to reward the trust of Chris Hughton and allay fears of Nigeria chief Gernot Rohr.

The Seagulls are preparing for a test of their defensive resources over the next three matches.

Balogun is set to start at Burnley on Saturday after replacing the red-carded Shane Duffy in the derby win over Crystal Palace.

Duffy’s three-match ban leaves Albion down to two senior specialist centre-backs for the Turf Moor trip, the visit of Chelsea and a South Coast tussle at Bournemouth.

Balogun has been urged by Rohr to secure more playing time – be it at Albion or elsewhere.

The defender told The Argus: “Then I guess he’s happy now!

“I think the club knows what I can do. I feel a certain trust, definitely, even though I’m not starting, and that makes it easy for me to fit in and stick to whatever Dunky or Duffy are doing, just fit into the team.”

Balogun has only made one Premier League start and Rohr said recently: “We tell them sometimes that it’s better to play in smaller club than to go to a big club in the Premier League and you don’t play.

“It’s difficult, but we have discussed this in our conversation especially with Balogun.

“He’s 30 now which means that if he’s not playing, it will be more difficult for him to be fit.”

Bernardo now appears to be Albion’s next option in the middle of defence – but he has made the left-back spot his own of late.

The Brazilian performed well in the heart of defence in the Carabao Cup tie at home to Southampton when he partnered Ben White, who could also come into the reckoning for matchday 18s along with Ben Barclay.

Bruno made a handful of appearances at centre-back in the early weeks of the Championship promotion season.

Balogun insists maintaining that elite status remains the priority even through Albion moved into tenth place by beating their old enemy.

He added: “I will just take us staying in the league.

“I’m not going to be specific about it.

“We have Burnley next, we still have Chelsea, Arsenal, massive games where we are the underdogs and as I said we just see it game by game and every point is important.”