ALBION boss Chris Hughton has revealed the side he selects against Sevilla will be close to the one that plays against Nottingham Forest five days later.

He will use Sunday’s visit by the Spaniards (4pm) as a dress rehearsal for the Championship opener against Forest on August 7 (7.45pm).

Hughton told The Argus: “Sevilla will be the biggest and best test we have. It’s the last game before the first game of the season.

“You can try to shield things as much as possible but it’s normal to use that last game to try to get close to what you want in that first game.”

A mixed pre-season for Albion has included wins at Crawley and Gillingham either side of defeat at Aberdeen as they prepare to face the double Europa League winners and Champions League qualifiers.

Hughton said: “It will be a real step up in quality.

“I would have liked more goals. We’ve had good games, we’ve had a few little knocks. The squad is quite tight at the moment but you know when the first game comes everyone will be up for it.

“Results pre-season generally don’t have a bearing on the start.”