Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal fell well below the standards required in the Premier League during Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Brighton.
The Gunners arrived at the Amex Stadium with a perfect league record but were comprehensively beaten as Pascal Groß, Charalampos Kostoulas and Chema Andrés scored for the hosts.
Arteta was particularly frustrated by Arsenal’s failure to compete in duels, deal with second balls and play through Brighton’s aggressive man-to-man pressure.
Speaking after the game, Arteta told Football.London that Arsenal were “very far” from accomplishing some of the basic requirements needed to win at Premier League level.
Arteta: "There are certain basics that you need to accomplish in the Premier League that we were very far from. The amount of technical errors we did… we didn't respect any principle of play. We were always on the back foot. They had another edge."
— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) September 19, 2026
Arteta admits Arsenal failed the basics
Arteta accepted Brighton deserved the victory.
The Arsenal manager highlighted the opening duels and second balls as an immediate problem, admitting Brighton gained an edge his side never properly recovered from.
That matched what unfolded throughout our Brighton 3-0 Arsenal match report.
Arsenal had more possession but rarely looked comfortable.
Whenever they regained the ball inside their own half, Brighton’s pressure repeatedly forced mistakes and prevented Arteta’s side from establishing their normal rhythm.
Arteta said Arsenal made too many technical errors and failed to respect the principles required to escape those man-to-man situations.
The manager even suggested the warning signs were obvious from the opening minutes.
“From the first throw-in you could sense it,” he said.
Arsenal repeatedly put themselves under unnecessary pressure and were eventually punished.
Brighton expose Arsenal midfield problems
The defeat also brought renewed focus onto Arsenal’s midfield.
Declan Rice and Bruno Guimarães started together in the Premier League for the first time.
The partnership struggled as Brighton disrupted Arsenal’s build-up and denied both players the space required to dictate the contest.
Our Arsenal player ratings against Brighton reflected those difficulties, with neither midfielder able to impose the level of control expected.
Arteta, though, remains convinced the partnership can work.
He stressed that Rice and Guimarães have played very few minutes together and believes their understanding will continue to develop.
That suggests Saturday’s failure will not lead to the idea being abandoned immediately.
Arteta calls Brighton defeat a ‘big lesson’
Arteta also resisted suggestions the result should completely change the assessment of Arsenal’s season.
The Gunners had won their previous four Premier League matches and had produced a strong run following the summer international tournament.
Saturday was different.
Brighton’s physical intensity, pressing and willingness to compete for every loose ball exposed Arsenal in a way few opponents have managed this season.
We had already highlighted the danger posed by Brighton’s 13-goal attack before kick-off, but Arsenal were unable to contain it.
Arteta described the defeat as a “big lesson” for his players.
The timing means they now have to sit with it during the international break.
Arsenal return against Leeds United knowing their perfect start is over and that Manchester City now have an opportunity to move ahead of them.
For Arteta, the priority is much simpler.
Arsenal must rediscover the competitiveness, technical security and control that disappeared at the Amex.
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