Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has declared Brighton & Hove Albion should be considered Premier League title contenders alongside Arsenal and Manchester City, following their emphatic 3-0 victory over the Gunners on Saturday. The Seagulls’ win, combined with their position as the division’s top scorers, has prompted the pundit to suggest they could challenge for the title.
Brighton’s stunning start to the season
Brighton’s 3-0 defeat of Arsenal at the Amex Stadium was their most impressive result of the campaign so far, coming just days after they knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford. The Seagulls now sit third in the Premier League table, having scored 16 goals in their first five matches, the most of any team in the division.
Their form has made them the favourites to win the UEFA Conference League, a competition they entered after finishing sixth last season, their highest-ever Premier League finish. Despite never having won a major trophy, Fabian Hürzeler’s youthful squad has caught the eye of many observers, including Cascarino.
Cascarino’s verdict: “I see something special”
Speaking to talkSPORT, Cascarino was full of praise for the Seagulls, saying: “I see something special there with Brighton. Can they make the Champions League? Of course they could.” He highlighted their victories at Old Trafford and against Arsenal as evidence of their quality.
“What I’ve seen of them this year, the way they won at Old Trafford in midweek, the way they’ve taken Arsenal apart,” he said. “Now, can they keep it up? Have they got the squad size? Will they get edgier along the way? Yeah. Are they good enough?”
Cascarino also compared Brighton favourably to other in-form sides, noting: “I look at Brentford, what Leeds are doing, even Everton, these are all good sides, but I don’t think they’ve got as much flair as Brighton. They get goals for fun, this is a team that scores all the time.”
Arsenal’s shock defeat and its implications
The loss was a major setback for Arsenal, who began the season as clear favourites to defend their Premier League title, with City and Chelsea considered their nearest rivals. The Gunners were outplayed throughout, with goalkeeper David Raya making several crucial saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
Cascarino had previously suggested Arsenal were the only team capable of matching Chelsea’s defensive record from the 2004/05 season, when they conceded just 15 goals. After watching the match, he revised his view: “A week later, I’ve watched a team literally take them apart and it wasn’t a fluke. Raya produced two or three great saves in the game. They’ve literally taken on the champions and outplayed them all over the pitch and it was extraordinary to witness.”
Can Brighton sustain their title challenge?
While acknowledging the long season ahead, Cascarino believes Brighton’s title challenge cannot be ruled out. He pointed to their youthful squad, the youngest in the Premier League, and questioned whether they can mature during the campaign.
“They’re the youngest team in the Premier League. Can they mature during the season?” he asked. “But they have got such a flair about them, it’s eye-catching, unreal. What they’re doing, the movement of their players, how they create chances, the intensity of their play is unbelievable.”
The pundit added: “If they weren’t Brighton and named Manchester United or Man City or Arsenal, you’ll be going they’re definitely title challengers. I don’t want to over egg it because there are lots of ifs in there but an incredible watch.”
Cascarino also suggested Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will use the international break to regroup, saying: “I think Arteta will be absolutely delighted he’s got a three week break to get some players back and rethink what happened in that game. He’ll move on extremely quickly from that. He said it in his press conference, ‘full credit to Brighton’. He would have been shell shocked as well.”
