ALBION boss Chris Hughton is bracing himself for a big November and December.

The Seagulls’ first ten matches in the Premier League were played over 11 weeks, due to international breaks.

Another follows tomorrow’s trip to Swansea but Albion then face ten games in under six weeks, including arch-rivals Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Hughton told The Argus: “That’s the other side of these breaks that we’ve had. It goes into a bigger period and a big December, and that’s the time you want as many players available as possible.

“That will be a testing time for everybody and it will certainly be about making sure you come through that period reasonably satisfied with it.”

Steve Sidwell (back) remains Albion’s only absentee. Hughton is weighing up whether to include Sam Baldock in the squad for the first time since summer calf surgery or play him again in the under-23s against Hull at the Lancing training complex tonight (7pm).

Baldock has returned in the under-23s with Beram Kayal (broken leg) but did not feature at Southampton on Monday.

Hughton said: “The one we’ll think about is Sam, so it’s an inclusion in the squad or playing in the (under-23s) game.

“Sam’s the only one. Beram’s played in the last three and sometimes because we’ve had a few games in a short period of time it’s not bad to leave them out of one and then go again.

“We’ve also also got a game on Tuesday (Checkatrade Trophy at Stevenage) which I would expect a few to play in.”