Adrian Colunga could be back in contention for Albion at Norwich tomorrow.

That is providing boss Sami Hyypia is convinced the diminutive Spaniard can offer more than just a goal.

Hyypia has to cater at Carrow Road for the loss of on-loan Elliott Bennett, who is barred from featuring against his parent club.

The return of Bennett has contributed to Colunga's lack of involvement since scoring his first league goal for the Seagulls at Bournemouth at the start of the month.

The August signing from Getafe struck Albion's first half equaliser at Dean Court but was substituted early in the second half of the 3-2 defeat.

Colunga has been an unused substitute since then, the capture of Bennett prompting a tactical adjustment by Hyypia.

The Finn operated with orthodox wingers and full-backs in the home games against Wigan and Blackburn, rather than the full-backs providing the attacking width and a narrow front three.

Bennett's unavailability for the trip to Norfolk increases the chances of a late birthday present for Colunga, who was 30 on Monday, but there is no guarantee that he will get game time.

Hyypia told The Argus: "There are many things which always affect the line-up. Of course, changing things (tactically) a little bit hasn't made it any easier for him to get in the line-up but also I don't look at it that way, that who scores a goal needs to play in the next game.

"I think it's great if somebody is scoring goals and it was a great goal that he scored but there are many other elements in the game that I find very important and the player has to be in charge and do all the aspects of the game almost perfectly, then I'm a happy man."

Colunga's fellow Spaniard Bruno is on course for a return to the squad and possibly the starting line-up after missing the last seven matches with a groin injury.

Bruno, sidelined since the stalemate at Watford on October 4, has been back in full training this week.

His recovery, together with the versatility of deputy Inigo Calderon and loan signing Greg Halford, led to Albion lending second-choice left-back Adam Chicksen to Gillingham.

Hyypia said: "Calde can play on the left and we still have Greg Halford who can play at full-back for sure on the right side, so I think Adam is at that stage of his career where he needs games. He has already played one game (for Gillingham) and he will play more.

"That benefits us and benefits him. He is still young but he needs games. Joe (Bennett) has done very well on the left side and it's an unfortunate situation for Adam that he hasn't been playing a lot with us.

"It's always a small risk. If something happens with Joe we need to shuffle the pack a little bit but I think at this stage we were willing to take this small risk and hoping that Joe will be okay, then we'll benefit from Adam going on loan and playing games."