Hurzeler faces toughest test as Brighton boss so far at The Arsenal

The 2026 Champions League final will take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. WAB listeners who have been to Budapest before will know this is an incredible choice of city to host the showpiece game in European club football.

Great bars. Cheap food and drink. The Danube. Historic buildings. Everything about Budapest is fantastic. It is going to be some trip when Brighton play their first ever European Cup final there in a little under two years time.

Getting carried away? Of course we are. But Brighton fans might be finding themselves daring to dream if the Albion extend their 100 percent record under Fabian Hurzeler to three Premier League games with victory at Arsenal.

A trip to the Emirates represents easily the toughest test for Hurzeler so far. Arsenal will run Manchester City closest for the Premier League title again this season.

They got within two points last time, the gap between Citizens and Gunners closing every year since Mikel Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager.

Even if City avoid a points deduction or worse for their 115 charges, the Gunners will fancy their chances of ending the blue half of Manchester’s dominance of the Premier League.

Brighton fans have seen first-hand the improvement in Arsenal over the past couple of years. One of the best results of the Roberto De Zerbi Era came when the Albion bounced back from losing 5-1 at home to Everton by winning 3-0 at the Emirates in May 2023.

The Albion completely outplayed Arsenal that day. It put Brighton back on course for a top six finish and left the Gunners’ title hopes over. As reflected in the fact thousands of home supporters began streaming out of the stadium long before the final whistle.

Fast forward to the 2023-24 campaign and it was Arsenal doing the double over the Albion. A 2-0 victory in North London was followed by a comprehensive 3-0 success on a horrifically wet and windy April Saturday at the Amex.

Brighton had enjoyed something of a hold over the Gunners prior to last season. But signings like Declan Rice, David Raya, Kai Havertz and – whisper it quietly – Leandro Trossard have taken Arsenal to another level.

That is what Hurzeler and the Albion are competing against in their third game of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.

And as difficult a fixture as it is, it also provides an early opportunity to see if Hurzeler and the £200 million spending spree embarked on by Tony Bloom might have the same impact in terms of improving Brighton.

Admittedly, £50 million of new signings will not feature against the Gunners. Matt O’Riley had his ankle fractured just six minutes into his Brighton, less than 24 hours after arriving from Celtic. He now faces many weeks – and potentially months – on the sidelines.

Ferdi Kadioglu at least managed to last 72 hours before getting injured following his move from Fenerbahce. Hurzeler said in his Thursday morning press conference he expected Kadioglu would play a part against Arsenal.

Only for reports in Turkey to reveal Kadioglu had suffered a minor muscle injury in training, either Thursday afternoon or Friday. The utility man is expected to be out for 10 days or so.

Kadioglu in particular would have proven very useful to have against Arsenal. Whilst Brighton have looked good going forward, there have been more than a few moments of concern at the back.

Everton were not good enough to take advantage of those defensive frailties on the opening day. Manchester United put the ball in the back of the net three times, only for the offside flag to deny them two of those goals.

Even Crawley Town had several moments where they broke through the Albion’s high line. Kicking Brighton off the park was not the only game plan Scott Lindsey arrived with.

Better finishing and a less capable goalkeeper than Bart Verbruggen and the Red Devils might have had at least one consolation.

Arsenal in contrast will punish such moments far more ruthlessly than Everton, United or, er, Crawley. Jack Hinshelwood for starters has one hell of a job on his hands as a teenage midfielder being asked to play at left back, up against Bukayo Saka.

With Billy Gilmour now sold to Napoli, Matts Wieffer presumably comes straight back into midfield alongside James Milner. Does Milner have the legs to keep up with Rice?

Hurzeler admitted after the Everton game that Wieffer had struggled at times on his Premier League bow. If he found the going tough against a limited Toffees midfield, how will he cope against Martin Odegaard?

Goals seem almost guaranteed at both ends of the pitch. Danny Welbeck is bang in form and loves scoring against his former clubs. Simon Adingra may feel he has a point to prove, both to Arsenal and Brighton.

The Gunners were linked with a summer bid which never came to fruition. An opportunity then for Adingra to put himself firmly in Arsenal’s shop window for January?

He will also want to show Hurzeler he is deserving of more game time, having fallen behind Yankubu Minteh in the pecking order for a starting berth.

Adingra has gone about that in the right way so far, one goal and one assist from the bench. He also netted against Crawley in midweek. There is not much more our AFCON King can do.

At risk of jinxing Arsenal against Brighton to finish 0-0, it looks like the sort of game which could finish 5-4 to either team.

And it ends up being Brighton, get booking those flights to Budapest.