Brighton & Hove Albion dismantled Premier League champions Arsenal 3-0 at the Amex Stadium, extending an extraordinary record of home victories against the reigning champions in three successive seasons. After beating Manchester City in 2024-25 and Liverpool in 2025-26, Fabian Hürzeler’s side added Arsenal to that list with a commanding display on the club’s 125th-anniversary weekend.
Pascal Groß led the way, opening the scoring in the 31st minute with a precise long-range effort that clipped the inside of David Raya’s post before crossing the line. Charalampos Kostoulas doubled Brighton’s advantage on the stroke of half-time, and Chema Andrés headed in Groß’s corner in the 57th minute to secure the emphatic victory.
Groß’s goal and assist took him to six Premier League goal contributions for the season—three goals and three assists—more than any other player in the division at that point. The 35-year-old has scored in each of his past three appearances and has four goals in his last five matches in all competitions.
Hürzeler praised the influence of the Brighton captain after the match, comparing him to “a good wine” because he continues to improve with age. The Brighton manager said Groß’s value goes beyond goals and assists, pointing to his tactical intelligence, competitiveness and ability to make teammates better.
Brighton’s performance was built on intensity, compact defending and ruthless efficiency. Arsenal dominated possession for periods but struggled to create clear opportunities, while Brighton consistently punished the champions whenever space appeared. Arteta introduced Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi in the 60th minute, but the changes did little to shift the contest after Chema Andrés had already made it 3-0.
Arsenal’s perfect start to their title defence ended in emphatic fashion, with the defeat also costing them top spot on goal difference to Manchester City. Hürzeler described the result as a “special win” and said his team had been “horrible to play against,” while Groß called it a complete performance heading into the international break.
