FA Cup giantkillers Oldham will be without defender John Thompson for the visit of Brighton to Boundary Park on Saturday afternoon.Thompson damaged knee ligaments in a midweek 2-1 reserve-team defeat at Stoke and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

But Latics boss John Sheridan, whose side dumped Everton out of the Cup with a third round win at Goodison Park last weekend, has received some positive news.

Utility player Chris Taylor's hamstring injury is responding well to treatment and, although he will not be fit to face the Seagulls, he could be back at Yeovil on Saturday week.

Striker Andy Liddell had an Achilles operation on Monday, while skipper Sean Gregan also remains sidelined after similarly undergoing surgery on a long-standing Achilles problem.

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