Lewis Dunk can seem an unlikely figure to be in the vanguard of a footballing revolution. He is a centre back with roots in the lower leagues, tree-trunk thighs and a host of tattoos. Ask him his regrets and he will cite being suspended at Middlesbrough after, “like an idiot”, he collected one of his nine career red cards. It would be easy to pigeonhole him as a traditional British stopper; indeed, that used to be his job description.
Not now, however. The Brighton captain has earned an England recall, almost five years since his last cap, due to his nerveless excellence at Roberto De Zerbi’s ultra-bold style of football, inviting forward players to close him down yards from his own goal, then passing the ball past them.
