Have Arsenal been figured out? Inside Brighton's 3-0 blueprint

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Arsenal had not lost a Premier League match since April. Nine straight league wins closed out last season's title triumph, and seven wins from seven in all competitions had opened this one. Then came Saturday on the south coast, where Brighton beat the champions 3-0.

It was the first time in over three years that Arsenal had lost a match by three goals, and the manner of it has prompted a wider question: was this a one-off, or a template?

How Brighton did it

Analysis from The Guardian points to Brighton's relentless pressing in settled possession as the decisive factor. Fabian Hürzeler's side did not simply wait for pressing triggers; they moved man-to-man against the ball and refused to let Arsenal work the ball towards the edge of the box.

Defensive midfielder Chema Andrés was pushed on to Martin Ødegaard whenever possible, tracking the Norwegian even when he dropped deep. Faced with a four-on-four in build-up, Arsenal struggled to play around the press, and David Raya was forced long more often than he would have wanted.

That turned the game into a transition contest, which suited Brighton's attackers. Charalampos Kostoulas was a constant threat as the focal point, while Pascal Gross, Maxim De Cuyper and Diego Gómez all thrived in open space.

Hürzeler explained his instructions to talkSPORT: "We wanted to win the small battles first. Win the first header, win the first tackle, win the first throw-in, win the first corner."

Can others copy it?

Replicating it will not be straightforward. Three of the four players who covered the most distance on Saturday were Brighton players, and no Premier League side is averaging more high turnovers per 90 minutes this season. The physical profile that underpins the approach is not available to every opponent.

There were also mitigating factors for Arsenal. The trip to Brighton was a fourth away game in 10 days, and several of Arteta's key men — Ødegaard, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka among them — were denied a pre-season due to extended World Cup involvement.

The underlying numbers tell their own story too. Brighton's three goals came from a combined xG of just 1.31, with two of them low-xG efforts from outside the box. Arsenal actually posted a higher xG of 1.63.

Where the Gunners stand

Arsenal remain without the injured William Saliba, whose absence alongside Gabriel Magalhaes has left the defensive line without its usual anchor. Ben White's absence also removed the right-sided chemistry that had been a feature of the early-season form, and Saka was a non-factor at the Amex.

Manchester City sit top of the table, but Arsenal are two points better off than they were at the same stage of last season — a campaign that ended with a first title since the Arsène Wenger era.

What is certain is that rival analysts will be studying the footage from the Amex closely during the international break. Arsenal's response when club football returns next month will determine whether Saturday was a blip or the start of something else.