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Posted on March 5, 2026 10:00 pm | Updated on March 5, 2026 6:10 pm
Fabian Hurzeler hits out at Arsenal and the reaction has quickly become one of the hottest talking points in the Premier League. The Brighton manager did not hide his frustration after watching his side lose 1-0 at home. While the Gunners celebrated a huge result in the title race, Hurzeler questioned the way the victory was achieved.
Brighton Boss Fabian Hurzeler Furious Over Arsenal
Brighton vs Arsenal at the Amex Stadium was tight and tense from the very first minute. The Gunners took the lead early through Bukayo Saka. His deflected striker inside the first ten minutes proved enough to secure all three points. The result pushed the London club seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table. This win is especially important after Manchester City dropped points in a draw with Nottingham Forest.
However, the talking point after the final whistle was not the goal but the tactics that followed. Fabian Hurzeler openly accused Arsenal of disturbing the flow of the game through constant delays. He felt his team was the only one who tried to keep the ball moving. Meanwhile, he thinks the opponents slowed the tempo whenever possible.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was not happy with Arsenal’s time-wasting tactics as the Seagulls lost to Arsenal 😤
As we enter the home stretch of the Premier League season, Arsenal will be doing anything they can to stay at the top of the table and hopefully win that first… pic.twitter.com/HO9CBgP8bt
— GOAL (@goal) March 5, 2026
The Brighton head coach was particularly frustrated with Gunners’ goalkeeper David Raya. That is due to the fact that he received treatment on multiple occasions during the match. Hurzeler raised the issue directly during his post-match press conference.
He said: “I ask you one question.
“Did you see in a Premier League game a goalkeeper going down three times? You can’t control these kind of things, therefore the Premier League has to find a rule.”
The home crowd inside the stadium shared the frustration as well. They were loudly reacting whenever the game was stopped. Despite controlling possession for long periods and creating a few chances, the Seagulls could not find the breakthrough. Arsenal defended deep and protected their lead. They walked away with a huge win that strengthened their title charge.
The Seagulls’ Boss Hits Out At Arsenal
Hurzeler did not stop at questioning the match itself. He went further, suggesting the current refereeing system leaves gaps that teams can exploit. According to him, the responsibility lies with league authorities to protect football.
He added: “But that’s what I mean (it is) a different kind of winning.
“If they win the Premier League, no one will ask how they win the Premier League.
“If the Premier League, if the referee, allows everything, then it’s difficult. Then, they make their own rules. At the moment, I have the feeling they are doing their own rules, no matter how they are playing.
“I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way. Of course, every team will manage and waste time but there has to be a limit and the limit has to be set by the Premier League.”
He admitted every team sometimes manages the clock in their own way. But, he believes there must be a clear limit brought in by officials. Numbers from the game also showed how slow restarts and stoppages influenced the flow.
Arteta Stays Calm As Arsenal March Toward Title
While Hurzeler delivered his thoughts, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta chose a calmer approach. For him, the focus remained firmly on the result. The victory kept the north London side firmly in control of the Premier League title race. In addition, the result showed their ability to grind out wins under pressure.
Reacting to Hurzeler’s comments, Arteta said: “What a surprise.
“You just go back to the previous games (between Brighton and Arsenal) and you’ll find a lot of comments like this always.”
The Gunners’ boss was asked whether he cared about other managers’ opinions, he said: “Yeah, depends.
“On the manager? Yeah. And the comments. And the purpose of that.”
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