Albion boss Chris Hughton has backed Inigo Calderon to be an able deputy for the stricken Liam Rosenior.

Calderon is set for a run in the defence throughout a key December for the table-topping Seagulls.

Rosenior is sidelined by right knee damage sustained in Saturday’s 2-1 win against Birmingham at the Amex and first-choice left-back Gaetan Bong (thigh) is out until January.

Hughton has faith in long-serving Calderon, better-known as a right-back or right-midfielder, filling in.

“I think you have to,” Hughton told The Argus. “It’s not as if he hasn’t played there before. Certainly in Calde we’ve got somebody who can adjust to that position.

“It just leaves us a little bit light defensively, so we’re certainly going to have to look after the players we’ve got in that position.

“Gaetan is in good shape at the moment. His recovery has been quite good but we’re still waiting a while.”

The only obvious alternative at left-back to Calderon is Adam Chicksen, who has not featured under Hughton since his first match in charge in January, as Albion prepare for a six-match December which includes games against their nearest pursuers, Middlesbrough and Derby.

Connor Goldson was on the bench as centre-half cover against Birmingham rather than Uwe Huenemeier, who was scheduled to start in the previous game at Burnley until withdrawing with an ankle injury.

Hughton explained: “I made up my mind I was going for the same team and, that being the case, I didn’t want to take a chance with him (Huenemeier).

“If I needed him to start he could have started, no problem, but I thought I would just give him an extra week and certainly with the defensive problems we’ve got I’m glad I did that now. Although it’s a different position it’s a defensive position.”

Albion could stretch their unbeaten sequence to 19 games at home to Charlton on Saturday. That would equal the record 19-match start in the Championship of QPR in 2010-11 since it was rebranded six seasons earlier.