Brighton celebrated their 125th anniversary with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Arsenal at the Amex Stadium, exposing significant vulnerabilities for the Premier League champions. Arsenal's dominance from last season deserted them as captain Martin Ødegaard and midfielder Declan Rice struggled to impose themselves. Rice was particularly criticized for lacking tactical discipline, often chasing forward or backward without controlling the tempo, leaving the midfield exposed.

Brighton's Pascal Gross opened the scoring from distance, while Yasin Ayari and Chema Andrés controlled the deep-lying roles. Arsenal's set-piece strength, a key title-winning factor, was neutralized. The defeat serves as a stern test for manager Mikel Arteta during the international break, highlighting the challenge of retaining top form.