Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has claimed that Arsenal's heavy loss to Brighton, with a scoreline of 0-3, could actually benefit the Premier League by reigniting the belief among other teams that they can beat Mikel Arteta's men.
At the Amex Stadium last Saturday, the Gunners suffered their first defeat of the season, with goals from Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas, and Chema Andres marking a significant upset.
In his latest podcast, Carragher emphasised that this result has shattered the illusion of the Londoners’ invincibility:
In a way, although Arsenal fans might not want to hear it, this outcome is useful for the league. After clinching the title, many assumed it would be a stroll to glory again. Most view Arsenal as the strongest side with the best squad. This kind of thing happens regularly — last season, the same was said about Liverpool. I'm not predicting doom for the Gunners, but every season, people make the same mistake of thinking one contender is invulnerable. Therefore, it's great for the league that opponents have witnessed that this defence can be breached.
Arsenal will be fine. The main impact of this match is on the opponents: everyone's confidence in their own ability has surged. They all think, if Brighton could dismantle them, then why can't we?
The most painful aspect for Mikel Arteta is that this defeat came just before the international break. He would give anything to gather his players back on the training pitch, assess the game, and address the mistakes. Instead, he faces a three-week wait. Hopefully, by then, his frustration will have lessened, although at the moment, he’s absolutely livid. Giants can’t perform at their peak every week. It was a catastrophic match for the team, but Arsenal has maintained a high standard for too long to not bounce back.
