Brighton stunned Arsenal with a commanding 3-0 victory, delivering a ruthless performance that kept the Gunners chasing the game for most of the second half.
The clash between Arsenal and Brighton shifted decisively in Brighton’s favor before halftime, with the Seagulls scoring twice before adding a third early in the second half.
Pascal Gross breaks the deadlock
Arsenal’s first significant attacking chance came when Bruno Guimaraes found space on the edge of the box in the 18th minute. His first-time shot looked destined for the net but curled narrowly wide.
Arsenal then appealed for a penalty in the 24th minute, but referee Darren England waved play on.
Brighton made Arsenal pay in the 31st minute.
Pascal Gross created space on the edge of the penalty area before firing a precise shot that went in off the post, giving Brighton a 1-0 lead.
Kostoulas doubles Brighton’s lead
Brighton continued to pose problems, and Charalampos Kostoulas came close before finally finding the net just before halftime.
In the 45th minute, Kostoulas unleashed a thunderous shot into the bottom-left corner, leaving David Raya with no chance.
Brighton went into the break 2-0 ahead, putting Arsenal in serious trouble.
Chema Andres makes it 3-0
Any hope Arsenal had of making a comeback was quickly shut down after the restart.
In the 57th minute, Chema Andres rose above the Arsenal defense to meet a corner and powered a header into the bottom-right corner.
The goalkeeper had no chance as Brighton extended their lead to 3-0.
Arsenal struggles to find a way back
Mikel Arteta responded with substitutions, bringing Martin Zubimendi on for Jurrien Timber and later replacing Bruno Guimaraes with Mikel Merino.
Martin Odegaard was later replaced by Viktor Gyokeres, while Bukayo Saka exited for Max Dowman.
Arsenal created a few chances late in the game, with Kai Havertz forcing a save from Brighton’s goalkeeper in the 78th minute.
But Brighton remained dangerous.
Matt O’Riley tested David Raya in the 90th minute, while Malick Yalcouye struck the crossbar moments later.
Arsenal vs Brighton result
The final whistle confirmed a 3-0 victory for Brighton, with Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas, and Chema Andres scoring.
Brighton’s clinical finishing and strong defense proved decisive, while Arsenal was unable to turn their attacking opportunities into goals.
Arsenal vs Brighton: Key moments
* 31’ — Pascal Gross: Brighton 1-0 Arsenal
* 45’ — Charalampos Kostoulas: Brighton 2-0 Arsenal
* 57’ — Chema Andres: Brighton 3-0 Arsenal
* 90’ — Matt O’Riley: Saved by David Raya
* 90’ — Malick Yalcouye: Strikes the crossbar
* Full-time — Brighton 3-0 Arsenal
Final score: Brighton 3-0 Arsenal.