Brighton punish Arsenal’s costly errors in emphatic Premier League win

Brighton ended Arsenal’s perfect start to their Premier League title defence with a 3-0 victory at Amex Stadium, exposing an unusually error-strewn display from Mikel Arteta’s side.

The champions had won their opening four matches, but Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas put Brighton in control with first-half efforts from outside the penalty area. Chema Andres then completed the win with a back-post header from Gross’s corner.

The third goal was particularly damaging for Arsenal, whose set-piece defending has usually been a strength. The result was their first defeat of the campaign and their heaviest loss since Brighton won 3-0 at Emirates Stadium in May 2023.

The victory capped an outstanding week for Fabian Hurzeler’s team. Brighton had beaten Coventry 5-0 in the league last weekend before recovering from two goals down to defeat Manchester United 3-2 away in the English League Cup in midweek.

The win was also a sweet moment for Hurzeler, who said “only one team tried to play football” after Brighton’s narrow home defeat by Arsenal last season.

Manchester City, the other side to win their first four games, can move three points clear at the top of the standings if they beat Sunderland today.

Tottenham’s difficult start continues

Tottenham’s expensive summer rebuild has yet to produce a league victory. Despite spending $400m (R6.5bn) in the off-season, they lost 3-2 at home to Aston Villa to remain without a win after five Premier League matches.

Johan Manzambi, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder who starred for Switzerland at the World Cup, made his first start for Villa and opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time against the run of play.

He then created the second goal for fellow new signing Nicolas Jackson, before Emi Buendia’s long-range strike in the 79th minute put Villa on course for their first league win of the season.

Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke scored late goals for Tottenham, their first in the league this season, but Roberto De Zerbi’s side have now recorded three defeats and two draws in the competition. They also lost in the English League Cup this week.

Tottenham finished 17th in the 20-team Premier League in each of the past two seasons, prompting the club’s leadership to oversee a major squad rebuild as a show of confidence in De Zerbi.

However, results have not improved, and the combustible Italian coach is under increasing pressure with a long international break approaching. Spain’s World Cup-winning right-back Pedro Porro also went off injured midway through the first half.

Elsewhere, Newcastle scored twice in the opening seven minutes through Lewis Hall and Joe Willock to beat previously unbeaten Hull 2-1.

Thierno Barry’s 11th-minute goal gave Everton a 1-0 victory over promoted Ipswich.