Brighton move into second after beating Brentford

Brighton moved up to second in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Brentford at the Amex Stadium on Sunday. The result leaves the Seagulls five points behind Arsenal and raises the question of whether they can become the leaders’ main title challengers. The international break is approaching, but Brighton’s results are making that prospect increasingly difficult to dismiss.

Their attacking numbers underline the progress. Brighton have scored 26 league goals, more than any other side, and created 37 big chances, the division’s second-highest total. Only Arsenal, the defending champions and current leaders, have been more impressive at the other end. Brighton share the league’s highest clean-sheet tally, with seven, and have conceded five goals, the second-fewest.

Arsenal lead the table with 27 points from ten matches. Their record is nine wins, no draws and one defeat, with 15 goals scored and five conceded. Brighton therefore have a five-point gap to make up. Arsenal’s only league defeat has come against Brighton, while fourth-placed Liverpool and fifth-placed Chelsea are the other two sides to have beaten the Seagulls in the league this season. Arsenal have also won their last five Premier League matches.

Pascal Gross, an influential Brighton midfielder, played down the title talk after the victory. His reluctance to get carried away does not change the significance of the standings, but it is a reminder that the season is still at an early stage.

The discussion already extends beyond the title. Leon Osman, a former Everton midfielder, said Champions League qualification is probably the minimum Brighton should achieve given the way they are playing. He considered a league title unlikely, while saying he expected the club to win a trophy this year, whether the FA Cup or the Conference League.

Another scenario could affect the battle near the top: Enzo Maresca’s side could rediscover its form after the international break and visit Arsenal on 29 November. But considerable uncertainty remains over how its season could unfold because of its financial charges. Meanwhile, Manchester City suffered a third successive league defeat at the City Ground on Saturday. Brighton head into the international break with a win and a place in second.