Four Arsenal cracks Brighton exposed as Premier League title credentials questioned

Arsenal seemed to be walking on water until Saturday's humbling defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion brought them crashing back down to earth.

Since the close of pre-season, Mikel Arteta's men had won each of their first seven competitive matches, but a 3-0 loss the Amex Stadium has brought some fresh questions over their hopes of retaining the Premier League title.

It was a result that stood in stark contrast to the Gunners' 2-1 victory over Chelsea a fortnight earlier, when they controlled much of the game despite falling behind inside the opening two minutes.

Meanwhile, last weekend's hard-fought win at Sunderland had suggested that this Arsenal side could grind out results even when short of their best, but Arteta's men found few answers to Brighton's pressure, with the hosts taking control from the opening stages.

The defeat leaves Arsenal's title credentials under greater scrutiny for the first time this season, and with that in mind, Sports Mole takes a look at four cracks the Seagulls exposed at the Amex.

Arsenal's striker problem has not gone away

Arsenal's lack of a reliable number nine was a persistent talking point for large parts of last season, with much of their title success built on a defence marshalled by David Raya, who kept 19 clean sheets, rather than consistent end product up front.

In fairness, the Gunners had looked sharp in attack during the opening weeks of this season, scoring 16 goals across their first seven competitive matches and giving little reason to raise fresh concerns about their centre-forward options.

Victor Gyokeres has yet to rediscover the form that brought him 21 goals in all competitions during his debut campaign, while Kai Havertz has generally looked more comfortable leading the line but has scored just twice in five Premier League matches.

The German's inconsistency came to the fore at the Amex, where he struggled to impose himself on Brighton's back line, found it difficult to win his individual battles and missed a clear-cut chance that could have given Arsenal a route back into the game, bringing the number nine problem back into focus.

Arsenal still look vulnerable despite Bruno Guimaraes

Unlike the number nine position, Arsenal did at least address a genuine weakness in midfield with the £75m signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle during the summer.

The Brazilian's qualities are well known, with his work off the ball, physicality and passing range making him one of the more complete midfielders in the Premier League.

Arsenal had looked assured in the middle of the pitch during the early games of the campaign, but Saturday's performance at the Amex brought back some of their old problems, with Guimaraes unable to find a way through Brighton's high press in his first Premier League start for Arteta's side.

The 28-year-old was rarely able to dictate the game and Arsenal's midfield was overrun for long periods, particularly when the Seagulls stepped up the pressure, suggesting that the addition of Guimaraes alone has not removed the problems they faced in that area last season.

Arsenal's low xG conceded could flatter to deceive

Arsenal have built their reputation over the past two seasons on making life difficult for opponents, conceding just 27 goals in the entire 2025-26 Premier League campaign, the fewest in the division, while allowing opponents very little in terms of expected goals.

That defensive record had looked intact again this season, with the champions conceding just once in their first four league matches before travelling to the Amex.

Saturday's defeat was not as one-sided in terms of the underlying numbers as the scoreline suggests, either, with Brighton generating only 1.33 expected goals from their 17 shots, while Arsenal's 11 attempts produced a higher xG of 1.58, according to Opta's post-match data.

Brighton's low xG figure, however, did not stop them from making their chances count, with Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas both scoring from a distance of around 20 and 25 yards, respectively.

Saturday's defeat was the first time Arsenal had conceded three goals in a match since their 3-2 defeat away to Manchester United in January, and that game also saw them beaten by long-range finishing, with Patrick Dorgu scoring with a powerful strike before Matheus Cunha added another effort of similar quality.

Arsenal are losing their set-piece prowess

The Gunners are known for their strength from set pieces, having set a Premier League record last season by scoring 19 goals from corners alone, surpassing the previous mark of 16 held by Oldham Athletic, West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal themselves.

Arsenal are yet to score from a corner or non-penalty set piece in the Premier League this term, although that had not been a major concern during their perfect start to the campaign.

At Brighton, however, the Gunners found themselves on the receiving end of the same weapon that has brought them so much success, with the Seagulls making one corner count for their third goal.

Gross delivered the ball into the box, with Chema Andres rising above Gabriel and Martin Odegaard to head home, the effort taking a slight touch off the near post on the Spaniard's first Premier League start as the Gunners were beaten at their own game.