Brighton have won six of their last seven Premier League matches, and their 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Amex Stadium on Sunday afternoon lifted the Seagulls into second place. Few supporters could have predicted how strong their side would be across the first 10 games of the season, and the result sends them into the November international break dreaming of what might be possible over the rest of the campaign.
The win moved Brighton above Manchester City, who suffered a shock 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest less than 24 hours earlier. It also underlined Brighton’s position as the closest challengers to leaders Arsenal, who sit five points ahead.
Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross, however, was reluctant to entertain talk of a title push at this stage.
“No, we are not in a title race,” the 35-year-old told Sky Sports after Sunday’s success.
“But we have started the season really well. It’s the beginning of the season.
“You see the Premier League, the margins and you look at the results – we are not getting carried away yet.
“Every game we have to suffer a lot. Sometimes it is momentum, but we are really pleased to head into the international break like this.”
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‘The football they’re playing is outstanding’
Each week, it becomes harder to dismiss Brighton’s credentials. Having won seven of their opening 10 Premier League matches, including victories over Arsenal and Manchester City, the Seagulls have shown both quality and character.
The underlying numbers are just as impressive. Brighton have created the second-highest number of big chances in the division (37) and have scored more goals (26) than any other side this season.
Much of that attacking threat has come through Gross, who rejoined the club from Borussia Dortmund in January, having left in 2024. The German has spent seven-and-a-half years at the Amex across two spells, either side of his time back in his homeland, and he has re-established himself as Brighton’s creative heartbeat this season.
Gross has created eight big chances in the Premier League, more than any other player. Against Brentford, he scored and created at least five chances for his team-mates.
That was the 27th time since the start of the 2017-18 season that Gross has created five or more chances in a single match. Only Kevin De Bruyne (48) and Bruno Fernandes (47) have managed more.
Gross explained earlier this week: “I just keep going. I think I’m fit, I try to prepare as good as I can and try to help the team win games.”
At the other end, only defending champions and current leaders Arsenal have been more impressive. Brighton have kept the joint-highest number of clean sheets (seven) and have conceded the second-fewest goals (five) in the division.
Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman was effusive about the team’s progress.
“The way they’re playing at the moment, Champions League qualification is probably the minimum that you’d expect Brighton to achieve,” Osman said.
“They look like a team that has really kicked on over the last 18 months. The football they’re playing is outstanding and they are a great team to watch.
“Can they win the league? I think it would be unexpected if they did, but I expected them to win something this year, whether that is a domestic trophy like the FA Cup or the Conference League.”
Brighton also received a welcome boost when Yankuba Minteh made his first Premier League appearance of the season against Brentford. The Gambia forward, who attracted an unsuccessful bid from Liverpool during the summer, has been one of Brighton’s most dangerous attacking players since joining from Newcastle United in 2024. Attention now turns to Kaoru Mitoma, who has been sidelined since May with a hamstring complaint and whose return will be watched closely.
Now is the time to make the most of their ability
There is a sense that an opportunity could be seized in the title race. Arsenal have won nine of their opening 10 matches, but they have not been quite as convincing as they were during their title-winning campaign last season, and they lost 3-0 at Brighton in September.
Manchester City, meanwhile, fell further behind with a third successive league defeat on Saturday evening at the City Ground. Even if Enzo Maresca’s side rediscover their form after the international break, and before they visit Arsenal on 29 November, considerable uncertainty surrounds how their season could unfold because of their financial situation.
An independent commission found City guilty of breaching 114 Premier League financial rules earlier this year, three-and-a-half years after the league first charged them. The club has since exercised its right to appeal and vehemently denies any wrongdoing. Should the appeal fail, City could face a significant points deduction or, in the most extreme scenario, expulsion from the Premier League.
In that event, Brighton would, based on the current standings, emerge as Arsenal’s most realistic title challengers. Liverpool and Chelsea, in fourth and fifth, are the only two sides to have beaten Brighton in the league this season, but both appear to be enduring transitional campaigns and are a significant way off the pace required to mount a challenge.
Osman believes this is the perfect moment for Brighton to capitalise.
“They have taken time to build this team, letting some of their best players go and redoing the whole thing all over again,” he said.
“Now they just seem to be getting to a point where they’ll be keeping their best players.
“They are in this great position where it is now time to get the most out of all this ability for their own success, to benefit the club and the fans, rather than just for the financial gain of selling players on for huge profits.”