Adam El-Abd has backed Albion to defy their injury and suspension troubles and keep pushing for the play-offs.

The versatile 23-year-old has joined the club's list of absent midfielders and defenders after damaging his right knee in a clash with Malvin Kamara at Huddersfield on Tuesday night.

He had a scan at the Nuffield Hospital in Woodingdean yesterday and expects a full medical report this morning amid suggestions he could be out for four weeks.

With Andrew Whing suspended and Matt Richards injured, along with long-term absentees Adam Hinshelwood and Paul Reid, Albion are scouring the loan market to patch up their squad ahead of Saturday's home game with Swindon.

El-Abd, a first-team regular this season in various positions, said: "It's disappointing although exactly how disappointing we don't know until we get the report back.

"It's suspected medial ligament damage. It's a setback but nobody has died. Hopefully it will be a minor blip.

"We've got to be hopeful. I don't want to tempt fate but I've usually been a relatively quick healer.

"I'll do everything in my power to get back as soon as I can."

El-Abd was stretchered off near the end of a 2-1 defeat which leaves the Seagulls poised tantalisingly just outside the top six.

He admits he is "keeping fingers crossed and touching wood" he will have a significant part to play in the last few weeks of the season and added: "We're still in there.

"At the beginning of the season, we would have taken being a point outside the play-offs with nine games to go.

"That's an achievement in itself really, looking at the resources of the club compared to some of the others in this league."

El-Abd revealed he did not feel great pain after the clash with Kamara.

He said: "To be honest it was more shock. I wasn't really in pain but I knew I had done something that could put me out for a while. It was all a bit of a blur."

Dean Wilkins has met with chairman Dick Knight and chief scout Barry Lloyd although the Albion boss said: "That's not unusual. We have these meetings fairly regularly. That's how we have managed to keep things ticking over."

Fringe first teamers got a chance to stake a claim for call-ups when they played for the reserves against Crystal Palace last night.

Wilkins added: "That never changes. They should always be trying to fight for places in the side from the first day of the season, not just at times like this."