ALBION head coach Oscar Garcia has been hit with another major injury blow.

Liam Bridcutt, below, player of the season for the last two years, missed Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Derby County with a hernia which is expected to require surgery.

The influential defensive midfielder has been forced to pull out of the Scotland squad for Wednesday’s friendly against England at Wembley.

Oscar said: “I don’t know how long he is going to be injured. He cannot go with Scotland.”

The Seagulls have already lost right-back Bruno for several weeks after the Spaniard suffered a hamstring injury in the opening day defeat at Leeds.

It is unclear how many weeks Oscar will be without Bridcutt but he hopes to have Andrea Orlandi back to boost his midfield options for Saturday’s visit to Birmingham.

Orlandi missed the Derby game with a knee injury. Oscar said: “I hope he will be okay for the weekend but I cannot tell 100 per cent. We will have to look at him day by day.”