Dale Stephens faces a fight to prove to manager Chris Hughton he is back up to speed for Albion’s big clash at Newcastle United on Saturday.

The midfielder misses out for the second game running at Oxford United tonight in the second round of the League Cup as Uwe Huenemeier returns from eight months out injured.

Three transfer bids from Burnley have been rejected by the Seagulls for Stephens, who is out of contract next summer and was left out of Saturday’s draw at Reading to catch up with fitness.

He sat out part of pre-season and the start of the season through injury and suspension, and his performance levels were below normal in his only start against Rotherham a week ago.

Hughton told The Argus: “We felt it’s important to get his levels back up. It’s my choice not to involve him but he has trained very well. We just need him to get back to those levels again.”

Centre-half Huenemeier has not played since suffering groin damage against Middlesbrough last December which eventually needed surgery.

If he comes through unscathed the German could be pressed into action at Newcastle, where Albion’s defensive shortage will be deepened if Liam Rosenior fails to recover from an ankle injury.

They are waiting for the results of a scan on the damage sustained by the experienced right-back in the closing moments at Reading.

Hughton said: “He is sore at the moment, I must admit, but Liam is a tough one. We certainly hope it settles down.

“It certainly causes us a problem with what we’ve got at the moment. Sometimes needs must and sometimes you need to throw somebody in when possibly you would want that little bit more time.

“We’ve got the international break coming, which is probably at a decent time. We really need to see how Liam is first.”

Central defender Connor Goldson, ruled out by a knee ligament injury since the pre-season training camp in Tenerife, has been pencilled in for next Tuesday’s Football League Trophy tie at Southend United.