Graham Potter is planning for his next big Albion test - after more praise from one of his most famous admirers.

In fact, there were familiar noises coming from two bosses at the Etihad on Saturday.

Plaudits for Potter and Albion from Pep Guardiola, whose Manchester City side beat Chelsea 1-0.

And complaints from Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel about an intense fixture schedule which sends his side to the Amex tomorrow.

The fixture has been brought forward because Chelsea are involved in the World Club Championship at the time the game should have been played.

Tuchel said: “The only thing I look at is Tuesday, funny enough that we play Tuesday when the next game is Sunday so we need to be ready on Tuesday.

“I have no time to waste looking to the fixture or the table.”

Guardiola made the point City have visited all the teams in the upper reaches of the Prem.

He referred to Albion’s performance in the 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace on Friday when he spoke about the strong teams City have had to visit in the first half of the campaign.

Guardiola said: “Yesterday again the performance from Brighton was excellent.”

Albion’s big question for the Chelsea game appears to be over the central midfield role.

With Yves Bissouma and Enock Mwepu ruled out, the Seagulls could now be without Adam Lallana.

The stand-in captain limped out of the Palace game ten minutes into the second half.

There was no update on Lallana immediately after the game via a Zoom media conference.

That would probably have been too soon to quiz Potter with any great reward anyway.

His typical answer about injury concerns soon after a game is to say the club will assess the player in question over 24 or 48 hours.

Potter told BBC Radio Sussex the midfielder' departure was "more precautionary" and "not too bad" but again with not much detail. 

The head coach will face the media at lunchtime today, when some sort of update on injuries should be forthcoming.

Tariq Lamptey was on the bench against Palace.

But Potter said on Friday the wing-back should be fit to start against Chelsea.

Pascal Gross started wide on midfield and was perhaps a surprise choice to take the first-half penalty which Jack Butland saved.

Potter said: “We have had a few issues.

“Tariq wasn’t ready to start. He missed training with a bit of a tight adductor.

“Pascal did really well at West Brom (in the FA Cup).

“Obviously we were without Enock, without Yves.

“I wanted to play that extra midfield player in there.

“I thought he contributed really well to the first half performance but then missed a penalty and that’s life sometimes.

“He was the designated penalty-taker. He has taken penalties before, scored before but not today.”

Alexis Mac Allister could be the man to anchor midfield after his performance in a role rather more withdrawn than we are used to seeing.

As for Lallana, he posted on social media over the weekend but did not hint at his state of fitness.

He wrote: “A big effort to reflect the occasion. We all get why this one is important. Hopefully we showed it. Desperately wanted the three points but keeping our unbeaten run is a positive. Fighting to the end a decant habit to have.”

PATRICK VIEIRA HAS PRAISE FOR NEAL MAUPAY 

A start for Lamptey could lead to a return to a back three.

Potter said: “He is fine. He just missed a bit of training. Obviously with Tariq and what he has been through we erred on the side of caution.

“He had a couple of days of training and having some time (against Palace) will have done him real good to be available providing there is no problem.

“I don’t think there is any problem so I think he will be fine for Chelsea.”