Brighton beat champions Arsenal 3-0 at home on club’s 125th anniversary
Brighton beat reigning Premier League champions Arsenal 3-0 at home in a Premier League match on September 19, 2026. Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas scored in the first half and Chema Andrés nodded in from a Gross corner 12 minutes into the second half as Brighton celebrated their 125th anniversary.
Brighton wore a deep blue limited-edition shirt inspired by their first season in Southern League Division Two in 1901 for the occasion, a kit that was originally sold in a £150 package that included a letter of authenticity from club owner Tony Bloom and a keyring. Arsenal had been seeking an eighth successive victory to start the campaign — a run they have not managed since 1903 when they were still Woolwich Arsenal — but Brighton’s result leaves them two points behind Arsenal and in third place. Brighton have scored 16 goals in five games despite missing much of their first-choice attack and having sold last season’s top scorer, Danny Welbeck, to Chelsea in the summer.
Brighton’s pressing from the outset provoked errors from Arsenal, including a misplaced pass from Bruno Guimarães that led to a deflected effort from the 19-year-old Kostoulas which David Raya had to tip around the post. Raya was later at fault for giving possession to Yasin Ayari in a dangerous area as the hosts applied sustained pressure. The opener came after Kostoulas fed Gross on the edge of Arsenal’s area; Gross picked his spot and finished off the inside of the post.
Kostoulas, signed last summer for £30m, continued to lead Brighton’s high press and doubled the lead from distance, thumping the ball past Raya from 25 yards after Bukayo Saka had failed to convert a good chance created by Martin Ødegaard. Ayari had earlier struck the side-netting, and Gabriel Magalhães and Riccardo Calafiori were noted as slow to close Gross down before the first goal.
Twelve minutes into the second half Chema Andrés headed in at the far post from a pinpoint Gross corner to make the score safe, prompting the home supporters to sing, "Are you Tottenham in disguise?" Max Dowman, who had scored twice against Ipswich in midweek, was sent to warm up and was introduced by Mikel Arteta with 10 minutes remaining as Arsenal used their bench in response to the deficit.
There were individual concerns for Arsenal as Jurriën Timber looked leggy on his first start since March and Bruno Guimarães was described as disappointing on his first Premier League start for the club, while Myles Lewis-Skelly’s energy and drive were missed after he was recalled to the England squad. Georginio Rutter returned as a late substitute but could not alter the course of the match.
Arsenal conceded three goals in a match for the first time in all competitions since December 2023 and arguably could have fallen further behind against the division’s leading scorers. The heavy defeat also saw Arsenal lose top spot on goal difference, and the manager faces a three-week international break that the report says will involve plenty of soul-searching.
