Brighton Celebrate 125th Anniversary With 3-0 Win Over Arsenal
Arsenal’s unbeaten start in all competitions ended abruptly as Brighton marked their 125th anniversary with a commanding 3-0 home win over the Premier League champions.
Brighton strike three to end Arsenal run
Fabian Hurzeler’s side overwhelmed Arsenal from the opening whistle and had built a two-goal interval lead through superb efforts from distance.
- Pascal Gross opened the scoring from long range, with Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel unable to shut down the danger.
- Charalampos Kostoulas then doubled Brighton’s advantage from outside the penalty area after Gabriel and Ezri Konsa reacted too slowly.
- Chema Andres made it 3-0 early in the second half, heading in Gross’s inswinging corner.
Arsenal supporters began filing out during added time as Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to create a meaningful response.
Pressing power exposes Arsenal weaknesses
Brighton matched Arsenal physically and then surpassed them, with their high press preventing the visitors from playing through the lines or finding sustained control.
Diego Gomez and Maxim de Cuyper supplied energy in the press, while Yasin Ayari and Gross covered ground relentlessly in midfield. At the back, Luka Vuskovic gave Brighton a commanding aerial presence, allowing the forward line to push high without fear of long passes from David Raya.
Arsenal repeatedly backed off Brighton players around the box, a costly issue given that both first-half goals came from range. The champions, who had conceded only once in the league before this match, were also undermined by loose marking and an inability to move the ball cleanly under pressure.
What happens next
The international break arrives at a useful moment for Arsenal, who need players to return fit and refreshed while Arteta assesses problems on the depleted right side of his defence.
- Arsenal host Leeds on October 10.
- Brighton travel to Sunderland on October 10, seeking to carry their outstanding momentum into the next fixture.
