Arsenal’s perfect Premier League start ended in emphatic fashion as Brighton & Hove Albion claimed a 3-0 victory at the Amex Stadium.
Pascal Groß opened the scoring before Charalampos Kostoulas doubled the hosts’ advantage immediately before half-time.
Chema Andrés then headed home from a corner shortly after the restart to put the game beyond Mikel Arteta’s side.
Arsenal had more possession but created very little with it, managing only two shots on target as Brighton repeatedly exposed the champions.
Our full account of the defeat can be found in the Brighton 3-0 Arsenal match report.
Here are our Arsenal player ratings.
David Raya – 5.5
Conceding three will never produce a strong goalkeeper rating, but Raya prevented an even uglier scoreline.
He made an important late save from Matt O’Riley before Malick Yalcouyé struck the crossbar from the rebound.
ESPN recorded Raya making two saves from five Brighton efforts on target. Their final match data also showed how clinical the hosts were with their opportunities.
Could do relatively little about the wider defensive collapse in front of him.
Jurriën Timber – 3.5
A brutal return to the starting XI.
Timber had only recently returned from injury and was immediately thrown into Arsenal’s toughest attacking test of the season.
Brighton consistently found ways through and around Arsenal’s defensive structure.
Arteta withdrew him after 60 minutes as he attempted to change the game.
Ezri Konsa – 3.5
An afternoon to forget.
Konsa completed plenty of passes, but Arsenal’s defence never looked in control when Brighton accelerated.
The hosts continually reached dangerous areas despite seeing less of the ball.
Part of a back line that conceded three and could easily have shipped more.
Gabriel Magalhães – 4
Probably Arsenal’s busiest defender.
ESPN recorded Gabriel with a team-high 13 defensive interventions, which illustrates how much work Brighton forced him to do.
Even so, this was well below his normal level.
A late miscued clearance almost presented Brighton with a fourth, summing up an unusually uncomfortable performance.
Riccardo Calafiori – 4.5
At least offered some attacking intent.
Calafiori registered two efforts, more than any other Arsenal player according to ESPN’s match leaders.
Defensively, though, he was part of a unit repeatedly stretched by Brighton’s movement.
One of the slightly less damaging individual performances in a very poor collective display.
Declan Rice – 4.5
Arsenal needed Rice to impose some control once Brighton began taking over.
It never happened.
He worked hard and continued demanding the ball, but the midfield failed to protect the defence or consistently progress possession through Brighton’s press.
A rare afternoon where his influence felt limited.
Bruno Guimarães – 3.5
A disappointing first Premier League start for the summer signing.
Arteta brought Guimarães into the XI hoping for more midfield control, but Arsenal were regularly disrupted by Brighton’s aggressive pressing.
He struggled to dictate the tempo and was replaced by Mikel Merino after an hour.
After scoring against Ipswich in midweek, this was a major step backwards.
Bukayo Saka – 4.5
One of the few Arsenal attackers who occasionally looked capable of creating something.
Saka had Arsenal’s best first-half opportunity but could not provide the decisive finish.
Brighton largely contained him afterwards, and Arteta eventually withdrew him for Max Dowman.
Arsenal cannot expect Saka to solve every difficult game, but they needed much more from their biggest attacking threat.
Martin Ødegaard – 4
Had a shot saved shortly before half-time but otherwise struggled to control the game.
Brighton’s pressure consistently forced Arsenal into quicker and less comfortable decisions than Ødegaard normally prefers.
The captain never found his usual rhythm between the lines.
Replaced by Viktor Gyökeres after 73 minutes.
Christos Tzolis – 4
Very quiet.
Tzolis entered the match in excellent form but found little space to attack Brighton’s defence.
Unable to provide the direct threat Arsenal needed once they fell behind.
Eberechi Eze replaced him during the second half.
Kai Havertz – 3.5
A particularly frustrating afternoon.
Havertz struggled to impose himself against Brighton’s centre-backs and failed to give Arsenal a reliable attacking focal point.
His biggest opportunity arrived late when he was sent clean through, only to produce a weak effort straight at Bart Verbruggen. The Guardian highlighted the chance as another example of Arsenal’s miserable afternoon.
After retaining his place ahead of Gyökeres in the confirmed Arsenal XI against Brighton, this was an opportunity missed.
Substitutes
Mikel Merino – 5
Introduced after 60 minutes.
Added some physical presence but entered with Arsenal already three goals down and could not significantly alter the direction of the match.
Martín Zubimendi – 5
Came on alongside Merino as Arteta reshaped the side.
Helped Arsenal keep possession but Brighton remained the more dangerous team.
Eberechi Eze – 5
Replaced Tzolis after 73 minutes.
Tried to carry the ball forward but entered a contest which had already been effectively settled.
Viktor Gyökeres – 5
Given around 20 minutes after replacing Ødegaard.
Arsenal needed goals but provided him with very little meaningful service.
His introduction nevertheless increases the pressure on Arteta’s centre-forward decision after Havertz’s difficult afternoon.
Max Dowman – N/A
Introduced for Saka in the closing stages.
Did not have enough time to warrant a full rating.
ReadArsenal Man of the Match: David Raya – 5.5/10
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