Paul McShane's comeback from injury has been put on hold and he is now expected to miss Albion's home game against Hull.

The latest medical advice from Old Trafford suggests the on-loan Manchester United centre half will not quite be ready.

Manager Mark McGhee is preparing to stick with Adam El-Abd instead and keep McShane back for the hectic Christmas programme, when the Seagulls play four matches in eight days.

Albion feared McShane would not be able to play for them again before the expiry of his loan on December 31 due to an ankle injury sustained in the draw at Cardiff four weeks ago.

The ligament damage proved to be far less serious than they thought originally and the young Irishman told The Argus last week he hoped to be fit to face Hull.

McGhee revealed: "The update from United's physio is he thinks he is probably not ready for Friday.

"We've still got to establish that but we think that's going to be the case. We'll go by what their physio says.

"Paul will be back here towards the end of the week and we'll see how he is."

Albion are arranging a reserve team game for next week so that McShane and long-term knee injury victim Adam Hinshelwood can test their fitness ahead of the congested festive period, which kicks-off with QPR's Boxing Day visit to Withdean.

In the meantime, McGhee is happy to keep faith with El-Abd, who made his seventh appearance in a row in Saturday's 5-1 reverse at Reading.

"Because Adam is doing so well it gives us the opportunity to get Paul fit without rushing him," McGhee said.

El-Abd will partner Guy Butters in a return to a back four against Hull after Gary Elphick was drafted in for his full debut at Reading as a third central defender.

Albion cannot appeal against Elphick's controversial red card early in the second half for a second bookable offence and he is now suspended on Friday.

Meanwhile, veteran Jason Dodd is seeing a specialist about the back injury which cut short his comeback from ankle surgery at Cardiff and has ruled him out of the last three matches.