West Brom's Gareth McAuley is hot on the heels of Jonny Evans

McAuley is the only doubt for that game following Jonny Evans’s return to action for Northern Ireland.

Club doctor Mark Gillett said Albion took a ‘marginal’ but ‘sensible’ decision to leave Evans out in the early weeks of the season.

But with McAuley nearing a return, he hopes everybody will be available for selection this Saturday.

“Gareth’s done really well, he’ll be back in training before Brighton,” said Gillett. “We gave him a week off three weeks ago and he’s worked really hard since then.

“He injured his thigh in the last week of the season before the Swansea game, and then redid it for Northern Ireland. That was a bit more of a problem.

“We wanted to wait until he was 100 per cent, rather than play him at 75 per cent. He’s back in training, whether he plays is down to Tony, but he’ll be there or thereabouts.”

McAuley has missed Northern Ireland’s two World Cup qualifiers but Evans has featured in both after sitting out Albion’s first four games of the season with a hamstring injury. ]

The problem coincided with interest in Evans from other clubs, but Pulis dismissed suggestions the two were linked saying: “There’s no way in a million years he’s chucked one in, that not Jonny’s way.”

Evans has been rushed back too quickly before, and Gillett said a decision was made not to take a risk with their skipper.

“We didn’t want to take a chance, even though he felt he was there or thereabouts,” revealed the doctor. “It was a marginal decision; but the sensible decision was not to take a risk.”

Pleased to see him come through two games for Northern Ireland, Gillett expects the skipper to be back up to speed for the Baggies this weekend.

“Jonny came into pre-season not carrying an injury,” said the doctor. “He had a full pre-season before he came off in the first game in Hong Kong.

“Up until then he’s probably had a good a pre-season as he’s ever had, so the ground work is there. And he’s still been working quite hard at the club.”

There is always a possibility players will pick up injuries on international duty, but Gillett is hoping to give Pulis a full-strength squad for Saturday's trip to the Amex Stadium.

"Touch wood, if we have a good run of it, I’m hoping everybody will be fit for selection for Brighton," he said. "We’ve got a few international games to negotiate, but I think it’s a possibility."