Beram Kayal has never been more important for Albion.

He heads into his 100th appearance for the club against Leicester at the Amex today as Chris Hughton's go-to midfielder.

Kayal, for once, is the main man.

It has not been this way in the Premier League. The injuries that disrupted his career at Celtic have continued. Dale Stephens and Davy Propper have dominated the engine room.

The Argus: Not now. Stephens (above) begins a three-match suspension and was previously hamstrung.

Propper has been out as well with ankle trouble. Kayal, meanwhile, has been in a rich vein of form.

He makes his seventh successive start today, a stretch including the winning goal at Newcastle and an assist for the only goal at home to West Ham.

The in-form Israeli struck from 25 yards for his country on his return to Glasgow against Scotland on Tuesday. He is relishing the spotlight.

"I'm happy to get this responsibility," Kayal said. "I'm one of the guys that wants to take responsibility.

"I feel the trust from the manager when I play. The two or three midfielders that play will fight and make sure we do everything for the team."

Kayal could be accompanied by the fit-again Propper or summer signing Yves Bissouma or both.

The Argus: If If it is Bissouma (above) and another new midfield partnership, Kayal will take the 22-year-old Mali international under his wing.

"The clear message from the gaffer at the beginning of the season was he wanted four midfielders to fight for who was going to play week in, week out," Kayal said.

"With all the things that have happened - Dale was injured and now he's suspended, Davy has been out for five or six weeks - it shows why.

"I've tried when I have played to be ready and bring my performance to the team.

"Bissouma is the same. He is a young talent with a positive future. It's not easy to come into the Premier League, probably the toughest league in the world.

"The British mentality, the British style of football, the quick reaction. He is getting there day by day.

"For me there is no doubt about his quality. If he plays I need to be more of a voice, help him, and be more disciplined because he likes to break forward. I'm ready for the challenges."

Kayal has contributed five goals in his 99 appearances. His last at the Amex was against MK Dons in the FA Cup 22 months ago.

"I would be more than happy to have the opportunity again to score on Saturday," he said. "Sometimes when you are playing in a two there is more responsibility to sit and give the wide man the freedom.

"Every single goal this season is going to matter for us. Last season we had a lot of chances, set pieces with the two big men, Dunky and Duffy.

"We had a lot of opportunities to score goals and we were unlucky. This season it has changed around.

"I scored at Newcastle and I've scored for the national team as well, so that's not bad.

"I feel we have the potential to do it. Davy Propper last season scored for Holland. We were asking him, when is it coming?

"We are getting into good areas, we need to change that and be more clinical. This is why we need Glenn Murray in the team, because he is the master."

Although Kayal diverted in the winner at Newcastle from close range following Jose Izquierdo's shot from a corner, he knows he has more chance of adding to his tally from further out, like the stunner in Israel's 3-2 defeat by the Scots (No.21 below).

The Argus: He said: "I'm not going to be taking the set pieces or in the penalty area, so the best opportunity is to score is from the edge of the box.

"As a midfielder in this system sometimes you need to be selfish and take a shot. But I never thought too much about the goals - it’s never in my mind. What’s in my mind is that I want to give everything for the team and to help us win.

"I don’t think any of our midfielders are thinking about themselves and about their stats and numbers, they are giving everything to the team and that’s a good thing.

"But when the opportunity will come I will shoot from distance. But don't put the money on it!

"I play differently with Israel. We play three at the back and they give me the freedom to go anywhere. The number six is always sitting so I have the freedom to go up and down, left and right. I can go anywhere I want.

"I need to drive the game more than I do at Brighton. They expect me to do that because I come from the Premier League and I have to show my power, my energy and my technique and they give me a different position.

"But I cannot say anything about the position I play here because I’m happy with that too. I’m the kind of midfielder who you can ask me to play anywhere in midfield and I will do it.

"The gaffer has played me left and right, sometimes number ten. If he needs me to come in a defend more I can. I'm happy to be this kind of midifelder. You need to put yourself in the team and do what the manager wants."