SLAM Brighton star blown away by ‘quality’ of top flight

WELCOME to the Premier League, Lewis.

The message could not have been clearer as Lewis Dunk made his topflight debut against Manchester City on the opening day of the season.

Anticipation was running high inside the Amex Stadium, with Brighton’s 34-year-absence from the big time finally over.

But it took just 60 seconds for Dunk to discover there would be nowhere to hide this season.

Enter City’s brilliant young striker Gabriel Jesus. One outrageous flick and turn away from Dunk left the Seagulls centre-back in no doubt how tough life will be among English football’s elite.

“Quality,” said Dunk. “That is the Premier League. Everywhere you look, every team you play against has quality.”

And it won’t get any easier this lunchtime at the Emirates when Brighton take on a revitalised Arsenal. They won 4-2 in Belarus in the Europa League on Thursday – and that was without the likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.

“We know what class players they have. In fact, I went to the Emirates to see them play Doncaster in the League Cup this season. They had people like Jack Wilshere. He is a tremendous player,” said 25-year-old Dunk.

That wasn’t the Brighton man’s first visit to the Emirates. He was there two years ago when Monaco won 3-1 in the Champions League.

“I remember thinking what a great stadium it was, how I’d love to play there,” he said. “As a Championship

player, it was just that – a dream. Now that has become a reality after last season’s promotion. “Of course, when you come up, you can be overawed. But I think we have handled things well, very professionally. We have a way of playing and we all know our jobs. “The gaffer – Chris Hughton – makes sure we stick to those jobs.” Hughton (left) may come over calm and collected, but he can be tough when the occasion demands. “We have found that out a few times,” said Dunk, who was a ballboy at Wimbledon as a youngster and was driven to Selhurst Park by his football-mad father Mark. “My dad was throwing a ball at me when I was just about walking,” said Dunk. “He has always been so supportive, driving me back and forwards to Wimbledon games.”

A class defender he may be, but that is not how Dunk started his football life. In fact, his career has a front to back appearance. “I started as a forward, then went on the wing, then midfield and finally to defence,” he said.

“As I got slower, I went backwards in the team!

“But I love defending and the Premier League tests you. It really does.

“I played against Luis Suarez while he was still at Liverpool. He is my toughest opponent so far. It was a cup match

and not a good day for us. We lost 5-1. I just couldn’t get near him, just couldn’t get the ball off him.”

Now it is top players every week for Brighton. “That is such a great challenge for me and the rest of the team,” he added.

“I think we have shown that we belong here. We are a very professional outfit.”

And Dunk is also a local hero. Brighton born and bred – and proof that the seaside town can indeed produce footballers who are able to cope with life at the top.

“First and foremost I am a defender and you have to have some toughness about you to

do that,” said Dunk, who then highlighted the impressive recent progress of Solly March – another local boy – on the left wing.

Dunk was included in one England Under-21 squad and has been tipped to graduate into the senior team. But his immediate focus is Arsenal.

“But we don’t go there with fear,” he said. “We have shown we deserve to be here.

“We were the first team to beat West Brom, and Newcastle had just won three matches on the trot when we played them and we won.”

Dunk’s role model as a defender is John Terry – “He can tackle, he can pass and he reads a game brilliantly.”

Dunk will need all those assets against Lacazette, Sanchez and company this afternoon.