Albion expect to be without four key players, including goal king Bobby Zamora, for Saturday's south coast derby against Portsmouth.

Manager Martin Hinshelwood rates Zamora, his new strike partner Paul Kitson, goalkeeper Michel Kuipers and right winger Gary Hart as "big doubts" for the clash against high-flying Pompey at Fratton Park.

Albion were hoping Zamora would be involved, but they are reluctant to rush him back from the knee ligament strain he suffered in the home game against Norwich 11 days ago.

Kuipers (groin) and Hart (ankle) both missed Monday's third defeat in a row against Walsall at Withdean, in which Kitson's home debut was cut short at half time by a hamstring injury.

"At the moment it's more likely Bobby won't be fit," Hinshelwood revealed. "You have to look at it and say do we risk him for Saturday or leave it a few more days and then he will be okay?

"Paul has a hamstring strain. He is a major doubt as well and the same goes for Michel and Gary. We've had an X-ray on Gary's ankle and we need to get him a bit fitter than he is."

Hinshelwood is being priced out of the market in his efforts to bolster his depleted squad by players unwilling to follow Kitson's lead in accepting a massive pay cut.

"I was in at nine o'clock yesterday morning with Bob (Booker)," Hinshelwood said. "You have always got a list of players you are looking at. I am not silly. We need a bit of quality to help the players that are here.

"That would be a great bonus for them, but it's getting the right people at the right price that want to come and play. A lot of them are earning a lot of money and are quite happy to stay where they are.

"It's just getting the ones like Paul Kitson that want to play. He hasn't come here for the money side of it."