Nicky is still out in cold

The row between Brighton manager Gustavo Poyet and striker Nicky Forster has taken another turn, with the Uruguayan calling for 'clarification', not an apology.

The row between Brighton manager Gustavo Poyet and striker Nicky Forster has taken another turn, with the Uruguayan calling for 'clarification', not an apology.

Forster has netted 12 times in League One this season, but has been out of the frame in recent weeks following his dismay at not being handed a new contract. His current deal with the Seagulls expires at the end of the season, but with uncertainty surrounding which division they will be in come August and Forster's age of 36 to consider, Poyet has delayed making a decision.

“I have no problem with Nicky Forster, he does not even need to apologise, but I want him to clarify things and at the moment it looks like he does not want to do this.

“All the time that is the case, then he is not in the team.”

Brighton will host City without central defender James Tunnicliffe, who sealed a loan move to League One rivals MK Dons on Thursday.

t Milder weather in Sussex means today's match should go ahead as planned. There is no undersoil heating at the Withdean Stadium, but with temperatures not expected to have dipped below freezing point last night, before rising to 4C today, the playing surface should be perfectly playable.