Brighton stun Arsenal with dominant 3-0 win

Arsenal’s first competitive defeat in five months arrived brutally at the Amex, where Brighton overpowered the Premier League champions 3‑0 with relentless pressing and ruthless finishing. Fabian Hürzeler’s side, unfazed by another summer of departures, suffocated the visitors from the outset and capitalised on every lapse. Pascal Groß broke the deadlock on the half‑hour with a powerful effort that clipped the post, and moments before the interval Kostoulas doubled the lead from distance after Bukayo Saka squandered a point‑blank chance.

Mikel Arteta kept faith with his starting setup after the break, but Brighton struck again when former Real Madrid prospect Chema Andres converted following a corner. Late introductions of Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyökeres and Mikel Merino failed to shift the momentum, as Brighton held firm. The defeat ends Arsenal’s run of seven straight competitive wins and exposes vulnerabilities against high‑pressing opponents who refuse to give them time to breathe.