Lewis Dunk is putting his body on the line for Seagull success.
Lewis Dunk of Brighton and Hove Albion and Danny Ward of Rotherham United in action
There is an old adage in football that strikers win you games, but a strong defence wins you league titles.
It is no coincidence that the three clubs with the best defensive records won promotion from the Championship in 2015/16. Middlesbrough conceded a miserly 31 goals, champions Burnley conceded 35 and play-off winners Hull 37 (35 in the league, two in the play-offs).
Brighton manager Chris Hughton
It is a proven formula that Brighton are looking to replicate this season. The Seagulls have the best defensive record in the league this season conceding only seven goals and recording seven clean sheets along the way.
One of the main reasons behind this record is the form of Lewis Dunk.
The central defender currently leads the league in the category of blocked shots with 14 from 11 games this season. Blocked shots is not something that is going to feature on highlight packages on Match of the Day or Sky Sports too often. However, it is a vitally important aspect to a team’s success in that it gives the whole team a lift as well as easing the pressure on the defensive unit.
Brighton’s Lewis Dunk and Leeds’ Lee Erwin in action
The impressive performances of Dunk would normally lead to speculation about his future at Brighton. However those fears were allayed when the 25 year-old Seagulls academy graduate signed a five year deal in the summer. There is also the potential of a international call-up in the future.
Watford’s Troy Deeney in action with Burnley’s Michael Keane
With Burnley defender Michael Keane receiving a call up from new England manager Gareth Southgate for the games against Malta and Slovenia, Dunk could be in a similar position if he and his club keep up their current form for a sustained period of time.
Blocked shots leaders in the Championship.
Lewis Dunk (Brighton) 14
Sean Morrison (Cardiff) 13
Michael Morrison (Birmingham) 12
Danny Bath (Wolves) 11
John Egan (Brentford) 11
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