Brighton & Hove Albion celebrated their 125th anniversary with a spectacular 3-0 victory against Arsenal, champion in titre de Premier League, at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, 19 September 2026, in a matchday five fixture of the Premier League 2026/2027 season. L’Amex Stadium était en ébullition tandis que l’équipe locale a démantelé Arsenal grâce à un mélange de rigueur tactique et de talent individuel. Au cœur de ce triomphe se trouvait Gross, qui continue de défier son âge avec une série de performances de haut niveau devenues la pierre angulaire de l’équipe en pleine réussite de Hurzeler. La contribution du vétéran ne s’est pas limitée à son réalisme devant le but ; la qualité de ses coups de pied arrêtés est restée l’une des principales armes de Brighton tout au long de l’après-midi. À la 57e minute, Gross a déposé un corner millimétré qui a permis à Chema Andres de marquer de la tête le troisième but de Brighton, mettant pratiquement fin aux espoirs de remontée d’Arsenal. Cette performance prolonge une remarquable série pour le joueur de 35 ans, qui a désormais trouvé le chemin des filets à trois reprises lors de ses trois dernières sorties et affiche quatre buts sur ses cinq dernières apparitions.
Pascal Gross Masterclass and the Unstoppable Veteran
At the center of the triumph was 35-year-old midfielder Pascal Gross, whose exceptional run of form continued with his standout contributions. Gross delivered a precise 57th-minute corner kick that teammate Chema Andres headed home to seal the 3-0 advantage, effectively extinguishing any hopes of an Arsenal comeback.
« Comme un bon vin »
Gross has now found the back of the net three times during his last three outings and boasts four goals across his last five appearances.
S’exprimant devant les médias après la démolition de l’équipe de Mikel Arteta, Hurzeler s’est montré très élogieux envers Gross. L’entraîneur a repris une comparaison qu’il avait récemment évoquée, soulignant à quel point Gross semble s’améliorer à l’approche du crépuscule de sa carrière. « Nous avons parlé de Pascal Gross et j’ai dit, je crois lors de ma dernière conférence de presse, qu’on peut le comparer un peu à un bon vin. Plus il vieillit, meilleur il est », a déclaré Hurzeler aux journalistes. L’entraîneur a tenu à s’assurer que l’influence du milieu de terrain est également ressentie dans sa manière de se comporter durant la semaine de travail, montrant l’exemple aux jeunes membres de l’effectif. « He’s not only a player who makes his team-mates better, he’s not only a player who really understands the game so well. I think the things you can’t measure are the things we see in the daily business and on the training ground », a-t-il ajouté.
Tactical Intensity and Hurzeler’s Winning Culture
Brighton 3-0 Arsenal
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: « It was a special win. Not only because we played the best team in England but because of the performance. I am really proud of my team. » L’entraîneur a ajouté : « It’s always important to enjoy these moments. We were horrible to play against. Intensity, intensity, winning the personal duels…we have to have the belief to compete with the best teams in the league. My players really trust each other on the pitch. If one player is out then another can replace him. » Il a également précisé : « Overall we wanted to be really good in every phase. We needed to be at the highest level. We go game by game. After the international break we have a lot of games. After wins like this we have to stay humble and understand why we had this win. We have to keep on going. »
Brighton’s Pascal Gross, speaking to MOTD, stated: « I thought we showed great intensity, waited for mistakes and punished Arsenal. It was a strong performance, a very complete performance. We won the ball high up and attacked really fast. After the last two wins we are full of confidence and wanted to finish really strong before the international break. » Gross also mentioned: « I feel really good. I can’t complain. I just try to help the team when I can. I really enjoy life in Brighton, I’m loving it. I know after the international break we play every three days and a lot of the lads are not used to that. It will be tough. I hope we can compete. We have a big squad this season. »
Did you know? Brighton have now won at home against the reigning Premier League champions in each of the last three seasons, beating Manchester City in 2024-25, Liverpool in 2025-26 and Arsenal today.
Premier League explain why Declan Rice was not sent
Late Frustrations and Table Standings
As Arsenal’s miserable afternoon at the Amex drew to a close on Saturday, frustration got the better of Declan Rice in the 97th minute when he swung a kick at Malick Yalcouye. Had referee Darren England shown a red card, there would have been few complaints from an Arsenal perspective. As it was, Rice was booked and avoided a suspension that would also have ruled him out of Arsenal’s matches against Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Everton after the international break.
The decision prompted questions from opposition supporters after the game, with attention turning to why England had opted for a yellow card and why VAR Tim Wood had checked and cleared the incident rather than recommending an on-field review. According to talkSPORT, the Premier League’s explanation was straightforward: « VAR decided it did not meet the threshold for violent conduct, considering it to be petulant at best. » That interpretation spared Arsenal from losing one of their key midfielders for three further league fixtures at a point when the disappointment of the Brighton defeat had already made Saturday difficult enough.