Brighton midfielder Mitoko Kaoru (28) was off the bench for the first time in a league match this season due to an ankle injury in the away game against Wolverhampton. Although he was on the bench for two games in the English League Cup, he started in six consecutive games since the start of the league.
He showed a limp gesture in the last match against Chelsea on September 27th, and was substituted in the 22nd minute of the second half, the shortest playing time of the season. He was also eliminated from the Japanese national team, which will be playing the international friendly match against Paraguay (10th, Panasta) and Brazil (14th, Ajita), and Japan national team manager Moriyasu explained, “After hearing about the current situation, the final decision has been made in conjunction with the medical (staff) views.”
