Dan Burn could return to action ahead of schedule.

The defender had not been ruled out of Watford’s visit to the Amex when Graham Potter spoke to the media yesterday afternoon.

A more likely scenario is that the six-pointer comes just too soon for Burn as he recovers from a broken collarbone.

But head coach Potter reports “really good progress” and expects to have him back ahead of the previous suggested date of early March That would appear to mean he will be in contention to visit Sheffield United when action resumes after the Seagulls’ have completed their first ever Premier League winter break.

Shane Duffy has trained after his minor operation to remove a blood clot from his leg and is in the running to face Watford.

Recent signing Tariq Lamptey is fit and available but unlikely to be put straight in.

Burn was injured in a clash with Lamptey’s former Chelsea colleague Reece James on New Year’s Day.

Asked about his recovery, Potter told The Argus: “He is not far away.

“We are monitoring him and he is making good progress and we will see how he goes, how he does (on Friday). The weekend might come too soon but, if not, then he has made really good progress.”