Brighton ended Arsenal’s nine-match Premier League winning run with a decisive victory, exposing the champions’ difficulty in coping with sustained, aggressive pressing. Brighton’s performance raises questions over whether Arsenal suffered a one-off lapse or whether opponents have found a repeatable way to disrupt their normally dominant approach.

Fabian Hürzeler’s side pressed high, limited Martin Ødegaard’s influence and forced David Raya into repeated long passes, creating transition opportunities for Brighton’s attackers. Arsenal’s fatigue was a factor after four away matches in 10 days, while several key players missed pre-season and William Saliba remains injured. Brighton scored three times from only 1.31 expected goals, compared with Arsenal’s 1.63, suggesting the scoreline also reflected unusually clinical finishing.