Arteta buries Hurzeler feud ahead of Brighton clash that could equal Arsenal's 123-year record

Mikel Arteta has drawn a line under his feud with Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler on the eve of their Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, with Arsenal chasing a historic eighth straight win to open their season.

Hurzeler had publicly criticised Arteta after Arsenal’s 1-0 victory in March, claiming “only one team tried to play football” and accusing the Gunners of “making their own rules.” Arteta was unequivocal in his response at Friday’s press conference: “That’s all done. That’s all in the past. I have huge respect for Fabian, and what he’s done and what Brighton has done as a club. It’s just remarkable, and tomorrow is going to be a beautiful game to watch, I’m sure.”

Arsenal arrive on the south coast in formidable shape, having won all four of their Premier League fixtures and progressed to the Carabao Cup fourth round with a midweek victory over Ipswich. A win at Brighton would equal the club’s 123-year record for the best start to a campaign.

“We know how complicated it is to win a football match at this level,” Arteta said. “So, to win seven, it tells a story. We’ve got a really tough opponent tomorrow so we’re going to have to earn the right to win the game.”

One of the stories of Arsenal’s early season has been 16-year-old Max Dowman, who scored twice against Ipswich in his only appearance of the campaign. When asked whether the teenager had been pushing for a league debut, Arteta was characteristically direct: “The best way to knock on the door is to do it on the pitch, not in the office. When a player delivers constantly on the pitch, every single day in training, that’s the best signal for the manager. And what Max did the other day was really impressive.”

Arsenal’s preparations have been complicated by injury concerns. Defenders Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, and Piero Hincapie are all doubts for the trip, while Jurrien Timber continues his recovery from a long-term groin issue.

Arteta acknowledged the uncertainty that surrounded the squad heading into the season, noting that limited preparation time after the summer’s international tournaments made the perfect start all the more encouraging. “After the World Cup, there were a lot of unknowns about how the players and the team were going to react,” he said. “We had a bit of luck as well, for sure, to win four matches. But we are here.”