Defender says Brighton have to play their own game and frustrate Manchester City in FA Cup semi-final

The Seagulls are huge underdogs for the game and are priced at 20/1 to win in 90 minutes and 12/1 to reach the final with some bookmakers, while City are 1/9 to win in normal time and 1/50 to reach the final.

Dunk admits Albion have to believe they can beat a star-studded Manchester City side, who have lost to Crystal Palace, Leicester and Newcastle in the Premier League this season and exited the FA Cup to then League One side Wigan in the quarter-finals last season.

Wolves or Watford will await the winners of Saturday’s game and Brighton are bidding to reach the final for just the second time in their history. Albion lost the 1983 final 4-0 to Manchester United in a replay after drawing 2-2 at Wembley.

Brighton have reached the semi-finals this year by progressing past Bournemouth, West Brom, Derby and Millwall and more than 35,000 fans will be cheering the Seagulls on at Wembley.

Dunk said: “Everyone knows in this country what the FA Cup means. It’s a massive competition.

“I’ve played at Wembley a few times now but this will be a special one in the FA Cup and you never know what can happen.

“It’s a game of football. If you go into it thinking you’re beat, you’re not going to win.

“We’ve got to go into it with the right mentality, play our game, try to frustrate them and you never know what can happen.

“Hopefully we can progress into the final.”

Dunk says another of his football dreams would come true if he leads Albion out at Wembley for the game.

The 27-year-old is Brighton born-and-bred and has now played more than 250 times for the Seagulls in ten years as a professional.

With club captain Bruno not featuring much this season, Dunk has captained Albion on several occasions in the Premier League and also in the FA Cup quarter-final win at Millwall.

Asked what it would mean to him if he led the team out at Wembley, Dunk said: “If I’m given the honour it would be a huge thing for me.

“I’m Brighton born and bred, a Brighton boy and to lead the club out at Wembley would be another dream come true in my career.”

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