ALBION defensive duo Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy have been praised for the way they handled Leicester and England livewire Jamie Vardy.

Manager Chris Hughton believes the centre-half partnership will underpin the quest for Championship survival.

The Seagulls suffered their second successive 2-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium.

Shinji Okazaki tapped Leicester ahead inside the first minute and Harry Maguire’s header from a corner early in the second half clinched a comfortable victory.

Hughton identified the way Dunk and Duffy handled Vardy, whose chances were limited before he limped off towards the end, as one of the few plus points.

“Our two centre-halves read the game well,” Hughton told The Argus. “Vardy is a big threat.

“I can’t think of one opportunity where he was put through in 90 minutes. That’s a positive.

“I think they are both very good players, Both signed new deals and they will both be very important for us this season.”

Hughton will make wholesale changes for tomorrow night’s Carabao Cup second round tie at home to Barnet before the return to Premier League action at Watford on Saturday.

“It’s a question of learning fast,” he said. “I know our players can play better than we have. And they will play better. That’s the benchmark.”