Seb Carole will be pleased to see his close friend again but the rest of the Albion players will not share the sentiment.

Jermaine Beckford is likely to be back in the Leeds attack in time for the Seagulls' visit to Elland Road on Saturday.

Beckford is touch and go for the Yorkshiremen's home game against Walsall tonight, after missing the last two matches with a hamstring strain, but sources in the white rose county expect him to be involved against Albion.

Carole and Beckford have been pals since the French winger's spell at Leeds. They went on holiday together with their partners to Malaysia and Bali last summer.

Albion have consistently struggled against the leading marksmen in League One this season. Nine of the top ten have been on target against them.

One of Beckford's 18 league goals came in a comfortable 3-0 victory for Leeds at Withdean in November.

Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Billy Paynter (Swindon), Lee Barnard (Southend), Chris Martin (Norwich) and Deon Burton (Charlton) have all netted in clashes with the Seagulls.

So too have Charlie Austin (Swindon), Jermaine Easter (MK Dons) and Norwich's Grant Holt at Withdean last Saturday.

The exception is Huddersfield's Jordan Rhodes, who surprisingly missed out in Albion's 7-1 drubbing at the Galpharm Stadium earlier in the season.

Beckford will be keen to mark his return to action by adding to his tally on Saturday.

Carole said: "I know he will try anything to score a goal!

"I think he proved with his performances against Manchester United and Tottenham in the FA Cup that he is able to score goals against Premiership defenders and Premiership teams.

"I think it is time for him to move forward and try his luck in the Championship, or even the top flight. Maybe he'll get his chance next season."

Whether Carole will get a chance to face Beckford is another matter. He started against Huddersfield last week, then lost out to newcomer Kazenga LuaLua before replacing the on-loan Newcastle winger in the second half against Norwich.

Carole had a couple of opportunities to score against Huddersfield. He is on a week-to-week contract in his third stint with Albion, which amounts to a low-risk gamble by Gus Poyet.

The manager admitted: "I am taking a chance on Seb. I know him very well, he knows me. I know what I am expecting.

"Probably with five, six or seven games under his belt he would have scored and won the game (Huddersfield) for us.

"Can I give him those five or six games in a row? I'm not sure."