Free-scoring Brighton provide major test of Arsenal’s perfect start
Arsenal’s perfect start to their Premier League title defence faces perhaps its most intriguing test yet when they visit Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has overseen four victories from four league matches, but the trip to the Amex Stadium represents a very different challenge from last weekend’s attritional win at Sunderland.
Brighton are the Premier League’s leading scorers after four matches, having struck 13 times during an entertaining start under Fabian Hurzeler.
The Seagulls provided their most emphatic demonstration yet with a 5-0 demolition of Coventry City last weekend, when five different players contributed to another devastating attacking display.
If that was not enough of a warning, Brighton produced another statement at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Hurzeler’s heavily rotated team recovered from 2-0 down after only 10 minutes to beat Manchester United 3-2 and progress in the Carabao Cup.
Charalampos Kostoulas began the comeback before Pascal Gross equalised and Maxim De Cuyper completed a remarkable turnaround.
That resilience makes Saturday’s assignment considerably more complicated than simply attempting to contain an adventurous attacking team.
Brighton have demonstrated that they can create chances in volume, with at least five shots on target in every Premier League match this season, while they have also shown the mentality to recover when games turn against them.
Arsenal should nevertheless travel south with considerable confidence.
The champions have won all seven of their competitive fixtures this season and followed their Sunderland success by beating Ipswich Town 4-2 in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Arteta was also able to rotate heavily at Portman Road, where Max Dowman’s outstanding two-goal performance helped several first-team regulars receive valuable rest.
The contrast in styles makes this one of the weekend’s standout contests.
Brighton possess the division’s most productive attack, but Arsenal have conceded only once in four league matches and David Raya has already kept three clean sheets.
Recent history also favours the Gunners, who are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Brighton and won 1-0 at the Amex in March on their way to the title.
However, this is unlikely to be straightforward.
Brighton’s confidence, attacking freedom and impressive home record make them capable of punishing any drop in Arsenal’s intensity.
The champions have already shown they can win when they are not at their fluent best, particularly at Sunderland.
At the Amex, they may need something closer to their best to preserve their flawless start.
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