Albion enter new territory in the Premier League against Tottenham tonight.

They will be trying to cope for the first time at home without their Amex specialist and link man.

Pascal Gross is missing again with an ankle injury sustained in the last home game against Fulham.

It sidelined the influential German from the matchday squad for the first time at Southampton on Monday evening.

Albion have, by choice, been without Gross in the starting line-up before on their travels.

Manager Chris Hughton had him on the bench against Spurs at Wembley last season, at Chelsea and against Liverpool at Anfield both this season and last.

The No.10 who knits together so effectively the midfield and attack has never been missing at the Amex.

He has played a huge role in Albion's impressive home record since promotion of eight wins, nine draws and only four defeats.

All seven of his goals last season were scored at headquarters, including the equalising penalty against Spurs in April (below) and subsequent victory against Manchester United.

The Argus: He has already added to his tally this season, also from the spot, against Manchester United.

The majority of the eight assists provided by Gross in 42 top flight appearances have also come at home.

Ironically, just about the only task in which Gross is easily replaceable is penalty-taking.

His first half failure against Fulham and subsequent substitution later in the game led to Glenn Murray regaining the role.

The in-form centre-forward converted from 12 yards to rescue a a point against both Fulham and in the dying moments at Southampton.

In almost every other respect, Gross is a big miss for Albion, the player most awkward for Hughton to replace.

He has alternatives in a squad much deeper this season compared to last - but nobody with the guile of Gross.

The Argus: Hughton (above) said: "The only reason I would probably say yes (he's a big miss) is because of what's happened so far.

"If I'm looking at our average formation then it would be a 4-4-1-1 with Pascal playing in that position.

"We are in a good position at the moment, because we've got a lot of players coming back, but you go through periods when you have injuries.

"You have to be able to adjust, whether that's personnel or team shape. It's part and parcel of the game but missing Pascal has certainly seen us having to change some things."

Gross's absence alters the dynamic of the side. What will Albion miss most without him?

"Probably a continuity," Hughton said. "He's a big runner and a different type of player. What he's not going to do from that number ten position is outsprint too many in forward runs but he does give us a very good link between the midfield and the front.

"And, of course, he has been involved in some way in a lot of the goals we have scored."

The dilemma for Hughton is whether to stick to his tried and trusted formation when Gross is available or tinker slightly.

The Argus: At Southampton, Yves Bissouma (above) made his second away start in succession in a three-man midfield with Dale Stephens and Davy Propper.

Hughton said: "Pascal is injured at the moment but it's not as if I haven't left him out of games. He was fit for the Liverpool game and I chose to go a different way.

"I wouldn't say forced (to change formation), because we do have players that can play in a similar position. If I'm looking at what we've got, even Alireza (Jahanbakhsh) has played there, Solly March, Bissouma playing that little bit higher up. Certainly Davy Propper has played there. So I do have options."

Dutchman Propper has operated as a No.10 previously, for club rather than country. "It's certainly an option for us," Hughton said.

Solving the puzzle created by Gross's absence will go a long way to stretching the sequence to just one defeat in ten at home since Albion were thrashed by Chelsea in January.