Mikel Arteta certainly can. “From the first throw-in, you could sense it,” he said, addressing how Arsenal had been swatted aside so comfortably by Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. “It was so clear. We put ourselves in trouble once, twice, three times and we need to get out of that (pattern) much quicker.”

Defending Premier League champions Arsenal will try to keep their perfect start to the 2026-27 season going when they travel to the south coast to face always-tough Brighton on Saturday (10 am ET).

The strengths that won Arsenal the title deserted them at Brighton, which celebrated their 125th anniversary with a thumping victory over the champions.

The Premier League champions’ perfect record across all competitions was shredded by a 3-0 defeat at an inspired Brighton & Hove Albion, who celebrated their 125th anniversary (an occasion which saw them wear a special edition shirt) in style.

The traveling supporters eager to see a fiery reaction in the closing stages were left bitterly disappointed, with Arsenal just as dire in the final third as they were in defense. Their players looked understandably shell-shocked and were completely unable to snatch momentum from their far superior hosts.

Brighton swept the champions 3-0 at Amex Stadium, while Aston Villa dealt Roberto De Zerbi's winless side a 3-2 defeat, leaving Manchester City a clear path to the top of the table.

Defending champions Arsenal travel to Brighton & Hove Albion looking to continue their strong start to the Premier League season, and you can follow it all live on ESPN.

Brighton & Hove Albion takes on Arsenal in a Premier League match on Saturday, Sept. 19 at American Express Stadium in Falmer, England.

Arsenal’s unbeaten Premier League run ended with a 3-0 loss to Brighton, sparking fan criticism over Myles Lewis-Skelly’s absence from the starting lineup.