Brighton's Izzy Brown ruled out for season with knee ligament damage and set for surgery before Chelsea return

The Brighton forward Izzy Brown has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering cruciate ligament damage in Monday night’s FA Cup third-round win over Crystal Palace.

Brown limped out of the game after only six minutes and underwent assessment on Tuesday which revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

The 21-year-old is currently on loan from Chelsea and is now expected to return to his parent club where he will undergo surgery, before a programme of rehabilitation.

Brown played an influential role in Huddersfield Town’s promotion campaign from the Championship last season. However, he has struggled to make an impact on the south coast under Chris Hughton, where a series of injuries have hampered his progress, failing to score in 14 appearances.

“Not the news I wanted to hear,” Brown wrote in an Instagram post. “I will come back fitter and stronger and hopefully be ready for the new season.

“Thank you to everyone at Brighton for the love and support they showed towards me, the fans, the staff, & all the players. I’ve met some amazing people here & these memories will be with me forever.”