Arsenal's perfect EPL start ends with lacklustre defeat at Brighton

Arsenal's perfect start to their Premier League title defense came off the rails in a 3-0 trouncing by Brighton on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta's men arrived on the south coast in formidable form having won all seven games in all competitions this season.

But it was Brighton's fine start to the campaign that was maintained as goals from Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas and Chema Andres breached the Gunners' normally impenetrable defense.

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"Brighton deserved to win the game. We didn't do the basics right for long periods," said Arteta.

"It's a big lesson for us to learn. How the team has played and competed in the last six or seven weeks has been expectational, but today has been a big lesson."

It is the third consecutive season that the Premier League champions have lost at the Amex after Liverpool and Manchester City in the past two years.

Brighton were full of confidence after becoming the first side in 50 years to come from 2-0 down to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the League Cup in midweek.

Fabian Hurzeler's side went at Arsenal from the start but had to wait until 31 minutes for the opener when Gross crashed a shot in off the inside of the post.

Arsenal were punished for allowing too much space on the edge of their area again just before half-time when Kostoulas this time picked his spot to beat David Raya.

Rather than a rousing second-half response, the visitors fell further behind on the hour mark as Andres was afforded the space to head in Gross's corner inside the six-yard box for Brighton's 16th goal in five league games this season.

"It was a special win. Not only because we played the best team in England but because of the performance," said Hurzeler. "I am really proud of my team."

The defeat is Arsenal's heaviest in any competition since April 2023.