Premier League 2026-27: Brighton and Hove Albion stunned reigning Premier League champions Arsenal by a commanding margin of 3-0 to consign them to their first defeat of the season on September 19, Saturday. It has proved to be Arsenal’s heaviest defeat in the last three years.
Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas rewarded Brighton’s first-half dominance with precise finishes and Chema Andres struck with a header after the interval. Earlier, Tottenham Hotspur scored their first Premier League goals of the season but they proved in vain as they remained without a victory, going down 3-2 at home to Aston Villa.
Promoted Hull City suffered their first league defeat of the season as they lost 2-1 at Newcastle United while Everton moved into the top five as they beat Ipswich Town 1-0. Arsenal had won seven successive matches since the start of the campaign, including their opening four Premier League games, to begin their title defence in ominous fashion. But the wheels fell off spectacularly against a free-scoring Brighton side who moved into third place.
“We were extremely poor technically” – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
Wearing a special blue-shirted kit to mark their 125th anniversary, Fabian Huerzeler’s Brighton produced an intensity that Arsenal simply could not match. Gross beat Arsenal keeper David Raya in the 31st minute with a low shot that went in off the upright — his fourth goal in his last five games — and Kostoulas scored with a similar effort following a counter-attack less than a minute after Bukayo Saka was close to an equaliser at the other end. Andres punished some slack marking to head in from close range from Gross’s corner.
“A really disappointing result and performance. Brighton were another gear up from us. We were extremely poor technically and not respecting the game,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
Arsenal have 12 points from five games, the same as Manchester City who can move three points clear at the top if they beat Sunderland on Sunday. Brighton, who have scored a league-leading 16 goals, have 10 points.
Premier League 2026-27: Tottenham Hotspur slump deeper into trouble
Aston Villa breathed a sigh of relief as they claimed their first league win of the season but Tottenham’s season lurched deeper into trouble after a third league defeat of the season. Villa keeper Zion Suzuki produced several fine saves to frustrate Tottenham and Unai Emery’s side took the lead in first-half stoppage time when summer signing Johan Manzambi tapped in while the hosts were down to 10 men after Micky van de Ven was off the pitch receiving treatment for a cut face.
Nicolas Jackson doubled Villa’s advantage in the 67th minute, finishing clinically to put the visitors firmly in control and Emi Buendia struck 11 minutes from time with a rocket to the top corner from 22 yards. Many Tottenham fans had streamed to the exits before Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke scored late on to salvage some respectability for Roberto De Zerbi’s strugglers.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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