Fabian Huerzeler says he will take no risks with fit-again Pervis Estupinan – after questioning his workload last season.

The Ecuador left-back is gradually finding his form and match sharpness again after a 2023-24 campaign which saw him suffer three separate periods when he was sidelined by injury.

He was forced out of games at Aston Villa and Ajax prematurely, leading to lay-offs, and limped off with an ankle injury at Burnley in April, ending his season and ruling him out of the Copa America.

Estupinan played in two recent World Cup qualifiers, without looking at his best.

He added a full game against Wolves in midweek but could be back on the bench when Nottingham Forest visit the Amex tomorrow (2pm).

Albion head coach Fabian Huerzeler said: “He had a long injury. He played two games for Ecuador and now he played his first 90 minutes for us.

“He is doing quite good so far.

“He is still in the phase where he needs to adapt to the intensity, and we have to be very careful with him.

“His injury happened because he played too many minutes, he played too many games.

“I think it also our responsibility to protect the players, to bring them through the season without any injury, without any issue, and therefore we need to find a way to give them the right moment, the right intensity during the training but also during the game.

“He will be an opportunity, of course, to start but we have other great players in this position.

“We have to talk with the medical team, we have to talk with him and then we find the way.”

Jack Hinshelwood has played at left-back so far this term with Ferdi Kadioglu also an option as he hopes for his first start for the Seagulls.