Chema Andres climbed high to score against Arsenal (Image: Liz Finlayson)
Chema Andres climbed high to score against Arsenal (Image: Liz Finlayson)
Bart Verbruggen says Albion are looking to rule the airwaves in the Premier League this season.
The Seagulls are preparing to return to action three weeks on from the 3-0 win over Arsenal which saw them superior to the champions on all levels.
That included a high-flying set-piece goal by Chema Andres and a fifth clean sheet of the campaign across all competitions.
Luka Vuskovic scored a similar goal to secure the 1-1 draw with Leeds.
Albion became only the seventh team since August 2024 to keep a Prem clean sheet against Arsenal.
Asked whether they want to up their game in aerial battles this season, goalkeeper Verbruggen told The Argus: “One hundred per cent. We’re trying to build.
“The gaffer always speaks about having a set-piece culture.
“I think against Arsenal a lot of the things that we work on a lot got shown, which is very nice and gives a big sense of gratification to everybody who works so hard. Set-pieces are one of them.
“I think if you can win the set-piece game against Arsenal, score one and don’t concede one, it’s not so easy, you know?
“They have been the best at it for a couple of years now. To be able to win that game inside the game made us very happy.”
Albion shut out the Gunners despite the injury-enforced absence of skipper Lewis Dunk, who tends to be an asset in the air.
Pascal Struijk impressed in his place and went close to scoring with a header from a corner.
Struijk later left the action holding his hamstring but has been seen training this week.
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Summer signing Vuskovic and Diego Gomez are among the top ten in the Prem so far this season for aerial duels won.
The Seagulls will look to repeat their clean sheet at Sunderland last season as they resume Prem action with a trip to Wearside on Saturday.
Sunderland gave Arsenal a big scare at the Stadium of Light recently when they wasted a penalty chance to go ahead before suffering a harsh 2-0 defeat.