Connor Goldson has hailed Albion’s centre-back pairing as the best in the Championship.

The Seagulls defender is likely to face Preston on Saturday in place of suspended Lewis Dunk.

He partnered Uwe Huenemeier yesterday in a 2-0 home win over MK Dons in the FA Cup.

Goldson has had to watch from the bench as Dunk and Shane Duffy impress in the starting XI.

He said: “I’m professional enough to know you sometimes have to be patient and wait for your opportunity.

“We are keeping clean sheets and defending well.

“At the moment we have got the best partnership in the league in defence.

“You only have to look at the ratio of clean sheets we get.

“Obviously it’s as a team but we are defending brilliantly and playing well as a team.

“I want to go to the Premier League and so does every one of us here.

“We are playing well, winning games and everyone is going in the right direction.”

Goldson fancies a trip to Anfield in the fourth round, assuming Liverpool see off Plymouth today.

He revealed: “I’d love to play Liverpool away, personally. That’s who I support.

“Hopefully it’s another chance to play a game and get another 90 minutes.

“It has been a long three months not playing football.”