Arteta blames his players as Arsenal's unbeaten run ends in 3-0 Brighton rout

Arsenal’s perfect start to the Premier League season unravelled at the Amex Stadium on Saturday as Brighton handed them a 3-0 defeat, ending a nine-game top-flight winning streak and leaving the Gunners to reflect during a three-week international break.

Goals from Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas and Chema Andres condemned Mikel Arteta’s side to their first loss of the campaign. Before the defeat, Arsenal had not conceded three goals in a single match since a 4-3 victory over Luton Town in December 2023.

Arteta did not spare his players in the post-match assessment. “Brighton deserved to win the game,” he said. “We didn’t do the basics right for long periods, especially in the first half. We didn’t win enough duels and any second balls and that stretches you. With the errors that we made and especially with the principles we didn’t apply against a team that wants to press you — so that puts us constantly under pressure and didn’t get out of that in the way we normally do. A lot of things to learn and take, but ultimately disappointed.”

Arsenal had entered the weekend in fine form, winning their opening four Premier League games against Coventry City, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland, while also defeating Napoli in the Champions League and Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup.

The performance of £75m summer signing Bruno Guimarães drew particular scrutiny. The midfielder, partnering Declan Rice in the centre of the park, was withdrawn after 60 minutes and replaced by Mikel Merino. Former Arsenal forward Paul Merson, who made 423 appearances for the club between 1985 and 1997, was blunt in his verdict.

“A million miles off it,” Merson said. “I said at half-time he would come off, but he stayed on for another 10 minutes or so. It was really quick for him. They closed him down. I don’t care how good you are — if people get your head down and close you down and make you work, it’s a leveller, and that’s what Brighton have done. They have been absolutely brilliant.”

Guimarães himself acknowledged it was a difficult afternoon, and Arteta will have the international break to assess how best to integrate the Brazilian into his midfield alongside Rice before Premier League action resumes.