Stoke v Albion
FA CUP - FIFTH ROUND
Venue: bet365 Stadium
Date: Tuesday 28th February 2023
Kick-off: 19:15 GMT
Referee: Darren Bond
Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Mark Scholes
Fourth Official: Anthony Taylor
Brighton captain Lewis Dunk is expected to make his 400th appearance for the Seagulls in Tuesday's FA Cup fifth-round tie at Championship side Stoke.
Apart from a brief loan spell at Bristol City in 2013, Dunk has spent his entire career at his hometown club.
The 31-year-old centre-back also won one cap for England in 2018.
"For me it's difficult to understand how he has never played for a big team in the Premier League," said Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.
"If you ask me what I think about Dunk, I think he's one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.
"This is my opinion but I know well his potential, his standard of performances."
Dunk scored his 26th goal for Brighton as they came from behind to beat holders Liverpool 2-1 at home in the last round.
The Seagulls now have the chance to book a place in the FA Cup's last eight, but are wary after being denied a place in the EFL Cup quarter-finals by League One side Charlton in December.
"For us, the FA Cup is very important," added De Zerbi. "Tomorrow is not an important game, it's a crucial game, because we want to arrive at Wembley to play the semi-final.
"OK, there will be another game [a quarter-final] if we win tomorrow but we have to stay focused on only Stoke. We remember very well what happened in the Charlton game."
Danny Welbeck could return from injury for Brighton but Solly March is out, in addition to Levi Colwill, Pervis Estupinan, Billy Gilmour and Adam Lallana.
Brighton are eighth in the Premier League, while Stoke are 17th in the Championship and beat League Two sides Hartlepool and Stevenage in the last two rounds.
On-loan Wolves goalkeeper Matija Sarkic is cup-tied for Stoke while manager Alex Neil hopes forward Tyrese Campbell will be available once more.
"We should treat it as a great opportunity and challenge to show what we can do," said Neil.
"I don't think the pressure's on us to perform, because every other cup game we've had it's been the opposite way."
Lewis Baker is their top scorer with eight goals and five assists.
MATCH STATS
- Albion have won none of their last 10 games in all competitions against Stoke (D2 L8) since a 1-0 win in September 2001. The Seagulls last faced the Potters in February 2018 in the Premier League, drawing 1-1.
- Albion haven’t beaten Stoke away from home since 1961 when they triumphed 1-0 in the old Second Division, one of only nine wins against them in 41 meetings.
- Stoke are looking to reach the FA Cup quarter-final stage for the first time since 2011-12. The Potters haven’t reached the last-eight while playing outside the top flight since the 1927-28 campaign, when they were in the second tier.
- Albion have progressed from 16 of their last 18 FA Cup ties against teams from a lower division, failing only against Lincoln City (2016-17, fourth round) and Sheffield Wednesday (2019-20, third round) in this run.
- Jacob Brown has three goals in his last four FA Cup appearances for Stoke, netting in the third and fourth rounds this season. The last Potters player to score in the third, fourth and fifth rounds of the FA Cup in a season was Ricardo Fuller in 2009-10 against York City, Arsenal and Manchester City.
Roberto De Zerbi's Stoke City Press Conference
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