So much for the new Invincibles. Arsenal were brought back down to earth with a shuddering bump by a scintillating display from Brighton, as Fabian Hürzeler’s vibrant side marked the club’s 125th anniversary in style with a 3-0 victory over the Premier League champions.
Arsenal had arrived attempting to record an eighth successive victory in all competitions to start a new campaign — something they had not managed since 1903, when the club was still known as Woolwich Arsenal. Instead, Brighton find themselves two points behind Arsenal and in third place, having inflicted a defeat that knocked Mikel Arteta’s side off the top of the Premier League on goal difference.
Brighton were inspired by first-half goals from the veteran stand-in captain Pascal Gross and the exciting teenager Charalampos Kostoulas, before new signing Chema Andrés made the points safe from a corner 12 minutes into the second half, nodding in at the far post from a pinpoint Gross delivery. Kostoulas, a £30m signing, thumped the ball past David Raya from 25 yards for the second, having earlier seen a deflected effort tipped around the post.
The occasion was marked by special edition deep blue shirts, inspired by Brighton’s first season in Southern League Division Two in 1901, with home supporters waving blue and white flags before kick-off. The kit had caused controversy among fans after originally being listed for sale at £150 in a package that included a letter of authenticity from club owner Tony Bloom and a keyring. Given this is the only time the players will wear it, those who paid out will have been pleased they did.
Arsenal looked rattled for the first time this season. Kostoulas led a fearsome Brighton press that provoked uncharacteristic errors, including a misplaced pass from Bruno Guimarães and a moment when Raya gifted possession to the lively Yasin Ayari. There was a warning when Christos Tzolis failed to take a rare breakaway opportunity after being picked out by Bukayo Saka, and Brighton made them pay just after the half-hour mark, Gabriel Magalhães and Riccardo Calafiori slow to challenge Gross as he picked his spot off the inside of the post. Ayari fired into the side-netting five minutes before half-time, shortly before Kostoulas struck.
Arteta had problems across the pitch. Jurriën Timber looked leggy on his first start since March, Guimarães was disappointing on his first Premier League start for Arsenal, and Myles Lewis-Skelly’s energy and drive in midfield was sorely missed in the week he was recalled to the England squad. Saka had spurned a great chance to equalise after being set up by Martin Ødegaard before Brighton’s second.
What made Brighton’s performance all the more impressive is that they have managed their goalscoring exploits almost entirely without their first-choice attack because of injury, while last year’s top scorer, Danny Welbeck, was sold to Chelsea in the summer. Georginio Rutter returned as a late substitute, but by then the damage had been done.
Arteta sent Max Dowman, who scored twice against Ipswich in midweek, to warm up immediately after the second goal, and introduced the 16-year-old with 10 minutes remaining as he emptied his bench. By then Andrés had already headed in Brighton’s third. Having conceded three goals for the first time since December 2023 in all competitions, Arsenal will be concerned it could easily have been more against the division’s top scorers, who have racked up 16 goals in five games. “Are you Tottenham in disguise?” sang the delighted home supporters, who could barely believe how easy it had been. Plenty of soul-searching now awaits Arteta during the three-week international break.