FLORIN ANDONE could get his first minutes in the Premier League for Albion at Manchester City.

The Romanian striker is in contention for a role in the starting line-up or off the bench as manager Chris Hughton ponders his options for Saturday’s test against the champions at the Etihad.

A groin injury sustained by Andone before his summer move from Deportivo La Coruna to the Amex was compounded by a thigh problem which slowed his comeback.

He had 45 minutes in the under-23s recently and appeared in Albion’s matchday squad for the first time as an unused substitute in the 2-1 home defeat by Spurs at the weekend.

Hughton told The Argus: “He’s trained really well, which is nice. It’s good to have him available which with Glenn (Murray) and Jurgen (Locadia) gives us real competition in those forward areas.

“We’ve decided we wanted to work with three strikers, which gives us competition and rotation. Who ever it is you want them fit and we haven’t had him fit this season so it’s good to have him back.”

Andone’s last senior appearance was in La Liga for relegated Deportivo at the beginning of May.

City have taken 58 points out of the last 63 at the Etihad and they won 5-0 at Cardiff on Saturday.

Hughton regards the clash against Pep Guardiola’s runaway title winners last season as on a par with visiting Anfield, where Albion were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool last month.

He said: “Probably at the moment they don’t come much harder than that but the same with Man City.

“They’ve won emphatically away from home.

“You have to have a game plan and you hope when you are playing against the top six that they don’t have one of their better days. If they do it’s very difficult to get a result.”

Hughton could be tempted into one or two changes for what will be widely regarded as a free hit, with Dale Stephens (hamstring) and Pascal Gross (ankle) sidelined.