Alan Shearer backs Brighton title challenge, but flags one concern

Alan Shearer believes a Brighton title challenge could be the biggest threat to Arsenal this season, but has questioned whether their European workload will eventually take its toll.

The former England striker praised Fabian Hürzeler’s side in his Betfair column, arguing that Liverpool and Chelsea still have rebuilding work to do.

What Alan Shearer said about Brighton

“Brighton could be Arsenal’s main challenge to the title this season,” Shearer said.

“I think Liverpool are in transition. Chelsea, same thing. They still have plenty of work to do with those football clubs.”

His one doubt was Europe. “Brighton have been incredible. The football that they’re playing, I mean, in Europe too, whether that will hinder them the longer the season goes on I don’t know, but they’re managing really well at the minute,” he said.

“I don’t think they’re going to go away. I think they’ll be around for the majority of the season.”

Shearer also named an Arsenal defender as his player of the season so far. “I think the player of the season up to now has been Ezri Konsa,” he said, adding that Konsa’s form meant Arsenal had barely missed the injured William Saliba. That defensive strength is a big part of why Brighton face such a tough task to catch them.

Why the Brighton title challenge looks real

The numbers back him up. Brighton are second after ten games on 22 points, five behind leaders Arsenal and one above Manchester City, who have lost three league games in a row. Liverpool are fourth on 18, with Chelsea fifth on 16.

No team has scored more than Brighton’s 26 league goals, and only Arsenal have conceded fewer. They have also beaten both of the big two: 3-0 against the champions Arsenal, and away at City.

That is a big shift for a club that has spent most of its Premier League life in mid-table. The question is whether the squad is deep enough to keep it going through the winter, with the Conference League adding extra games.

Brighton are not getting carried away

Inside the club, the message is calmer. After the 2-0 win over ten-man Brentford last weekend, Pascal Gross played down any talk of a title race.

“No, we are not in a title race,” Gross told Sky Sports. “But we have started the season really well. It’s the beginning of the season.

“You see the Premier League, the margins, you look at the results, we are not getting carried away yet. Every game we have to suffer a lot.”

Hürzeler was a little more relaxed, saying he was happy for supporters to dream.

What comes next

Arsenal travel to Newcastle on Saturday 21 November when the league returns, and Brighton go to Hull the following day. If the Seagulls keep winning, the talk of a title challenge will only get louder.

Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen has also played down talk of a move to Liverpool. For all the latest from the top flight, head to our Premier League hub.