Lewis Dunk voted WAB October 2023 Brighton Player of the Month

November 7, 2023November 7, 2023 WeAreBrighton.com 0 Comments

From an England man-of-the-match award to leading Brighton to their first ever European win to scoring against Liverpool, it was some October 2023 for Lewis Dunk – rounded off with the Albion captain being voted WAB Player of the Month.

Dunk was responsible for a game changing moment almost every time he stepped onto the pitch. Away against Marseille, there was the perfectly timed last man sliding tackle on Vitiniha with the match delicately poised at 2-1 to the hosts.

Had Dunk not made that intervention, Marseille move 3-1 ahead and it is game over. Instead, Joao Pedro was able to complete a famous comeback from the penalty spot as the Albion claimed their a point in the cauldron of the Stade Velodrome.

Three days later and Dunk popped up with a timely equaliser to help Brighton claim a point from the visit of Liverpool to the Amex.

It was off on international duty from there, where Dunk was voted the best player on the Wembley pitch as the Three Lions edged to a 1-0 friendly win over Australia.

A trip to Manchester City is enough to strike fear into the heart of most centre backs. Not Dunk though, who dealt with the threat of Erling Haaland better than almost any other defender will this season.

When Dunk was not busy pocketing Haaland, he was turning defence into attack with a stunning range of passing, ultimately leading to him playing a key role in Ansu Fati’s consolation goal.

With Jason Steele caught out of position, Dunk found himself blocking a goal bound shot from Julian Alvarez almost on the line. From there, Dunk swept a pinpoint ball out to Fati which kick started a lightning quick break City had no means of stopping.

Next came that historic maiden win in Europe over Ajax, whilst Dunk almost ended October with a second goal when his knuckleball free kick clipped the Fulham bar.

Sorry to stray into November, but we posed the question after Dunk topped the player ratings for the 1-1 draw at Everton as to whether there is a more in-form defender in Europe right now.

Read that back and the answer has to be no. Whether it is defensive interventions, opening up opponents with eye-of-the-needle passes or even scoring goals, Dunk is in a class of his own. Take note please, Mr Southgate.

Second spot behind Lewis Dunk in the October 2023 Player of the Month vote went to the Albion’s other stalwart of the Premier League era, Pascal Gross.

The 1-1 draw with Fulham was Der Kaiser’s 200th league match for Brighton. Naturally, he marked it with an assist via a delightful through ball to set up Evan Ferguson for the opening goal.

Gross produced a clinical finish to get Brighton back into the Marseille game and it was in the south of France where his worth was very much hammered home, the Albion looking much stronger in midfield with him back in the side compared to the shambles of the 6-1 defeat to Aston Villa four days earlier.

Just behind Gross in third spot came Joao Pedro, whose scoring form in Europe shows no sign of abating. Pedro was the calmest man in the Velodrome to convert the late equalising penalty despite a wall of noise from the home ultras and the best efforts of Marseille’s players to put him off.

Pedro then made it four in three Europa League matches when putting away a parried Kaoru Mitoma shot for the lead against Ajax.

With his form having carried him into the senior Brazil squad, November could see Pedro become the first ever Brighton player to represent the Selecao.