Arsenal arrived at the AMEX with a spotless record and the ease of champions, only to find Brighton in no mood to admire the Premier League trophy holders. On the club’s 125th-anniversary afternoon, the home side pressed, passed and punished their visitors in a 3-0 win that represented Arsenal’s heaviest defeat since Brighton beat them by the same scoreline in May 2023.
Mikel Arteta had restored many of his regulars after rotating through the Carabao Cup. Jurrien Timber was fit enough to start, Ezri Konsa continued in place of the injured William Saliba, and Bruno Guimaraes kept his spot after scoring against Sunderland. Brighton, meanwhile, handed former Real Madrid academy midfielder Chema Andrés his first league start in midfield alongside Pascal Gross.
The early exchanges belonged entirely to the hosts. Brighton’s high press made life uncomfortable from the outset and David Raya was required to keep out Kostoulas inside six minutes. Arsenal eventually found a measure of control through Martin Odegaard, who dropped deeper to collect possession and slow a contest that had begun at Brighton’s preferred frantic pace.
Yet Arsenal never translated that possession into authority around Bart Verbruggen’s goal. Brighton struck after half an hour when Gross was allowed room at the edge of the box and sent a low effort towards the near post. Raya got a touch via the woodwork, but the ball crossed the line.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, Brighton found a second before the interval. Gross turned provider as Kostoulas took the ball outside the area, watched Arsenal’s defence retreat and drove a fierce shot beyond Raya. Bukayo Saka had earlier gone close under pressure, but Arsenal had otherwise offered little as an attacking threat.
Brighton keep their foot down
Arteta made no changes at the break, and Brighton resumed with the same energy. Kostoulas fired another effort across goal, Ferdi Kadioglu appealed for a penalty, and the third goal soon followed from a corner. Chema Andrés, nicknamed “mini Rodri” after his development at Real Madrid’s La Fábrica academy, scored his first goal in English football to complete a memorable first start.
Only then did Arsenal begin to empty the bench. Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi entered together, with Zubimendi at times moving into a right-back role while Declan Rice adjusted around him. Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres followed, before Max Dowman — fresh from a Carabao Cup double — was also sent on as Arteta searched for any route back into the afternoon.
There was no recovery. Verbruggen made the defining save in the 77th minute, using his foot to deny Kai Havertz one-on-one, while Raya prevented the scoreline becoming still harsher at the other end.
One bruising trip to the south coast need not undo Arsenal’s excellent opening to the campaign, nor their title-winning confidence from last season. But they head into the first international break with their perfect start gone, a sour result in the bag and Manchester City given the chance to move clear at the top of the table.
