Brighton End Arsenal’s Seven-Match Winning Run with 3-0 Amex Victory
Arsenal’s unbeaten opening to the season ended abruptly at Brighton & Hove Albion, where a 3-0 defeat at the Amex Stadium brought their run of seven straight wins to a halt. Ezri Konsa said there could be no attempt to blame the demanding schedule after the visitors fell well below the standards they had set.
Brighton, marking their 125th anniversary in special commemorative shirts, delivered Arsenal’s biggest league loss since May 2023. That previous defeat was also a 3-0 reverse against the Seagulls, at the Emirates Stadium.
Quick facts
- Brighton beat Arsenal 3-0 at the Amex Stadium.
- Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas and Chema Andres scored for the hosts.
- Arsenal’s seven-match winning beginning to the campaign was ended.
- The Gunners had played four away fixtures in less than two weeks.
- Arsenal return from the international break to host Leeds United on Saturday, October 10.
Gross put Brighton ahead during the first half, striking from the edge of the box and seeing his effort go in via the post. Arsenal were then caught by a swift move started by goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, with Kostoulas finding the net from distance shortly before the interval.
Chema Andres completed the scoring on the hour, meeting an inswinging corner with a header. Mikel Arteta introduced Viktor Gyokeres from the bench as Arsenal sought a way back, and the substitute created their clearest chance for Kai Havertz, but Verbruggen won the one-on-one with the German.
Konsa, 28, said Arsenal had to confront their shortcomings individually during the extended international window. The England defender said the side had not been good enough and must quickly take lessons from a display that did not meet the level established earlier in the campaign.
“We have set high standards and cannot allow them to slip as they did here,” Konsa said. “There are no excuses for the result. We were simply not good enough.”
The defender was particularly disappointed by the manner of Brighton’s first two goals, believing Arsenal allowed too much space and time around the ball before the shots. Konsa said clean sheets matter greatly to him, and that the team had failed in that regard.
The loss was Arsenal’s first in the league since April and stopped their attempt to claim a fifth successive away win. Despite the compressed run of four road matches, Konsa maintained that tiredness was not a valid explanation.
Arsenal’s players now leave for international duty before regrouping for the visit of Leeds. Konsa said the squad’s focus is on restoring its winning rhythm as soon as domestic football resumes.
