Pascal Gross plays down Brighton title talk after climb to second

Pascal Gross has dismissed talk of Brighton being in the Premier League title race after their 2-0 win over Brentford lifted them into second place.

The midfielder scored from the penalty spot as Fabian Hurzeler’s side moved above Manchester City and reached the international break five points behind leaders Arsenal.

But Gross warned against reading too much into the table after only 10 matches, even as Hurzeler encouraged supporters to enjoy the team’s progress.

What Pascal Gross said about Brighton’s title chances

“No. We are not in a title race,” Gross said in comments published by Brighton.

The German welcomed the start to the season but stressed how little separates teams in the Premier League. He said the players remained aware of the effort required in every match and were not allowing their league position to change that approach.

Hurzeler drew a distinction between the expectations of supporters and the work of his squad. Fans are entitled to be ambitious, he said, while the team must concentrate on preparation and improvement.

Brighton had returned from their Conference League trip on Friday lunchtime. The manager was pleased with the work done before Brentford’s visit, but said there were still aspects of both individual and team performance to address.

Where Brighton stand after 10 games

The table on Brighton’s official match centre puts them on 22 points from seven wins, one draw and two defeats. Arsenal have 27 points, with Manchester City one point behind Brighton on 21.

Position	Club	Played	Points
1	Arsenal	10	27
2	Brighton	10	22
3	Manchester City	10	21

That leaves Brighton as Arsenal’s closest challengers on points heading into the break. Gross’s response concerned what that position means for the title race, rather than any dissatisfaction with the results so far.

Hurzeler points to the work behind the results

In his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Hurzeler highlighted Brighton’s defensive work and their response when possession changed hands. He considered those basics central to maintaining consistency.

The manager acknowledged that playing against 10 men helped his side, but said managing a lead in those circumstances still required discipline. His focus after the international break will be on sustaining the same standards.

He also wanted the players and staff to enjoy their progress. Brighton’s position was an achievement to recognise, even with most of the season still ahead.

Gomez and Gross settle the Brentford match

Diego Gomez opened the scoring with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area. Brentford then lost Igor Thiago to a red card before Gross converted his penalty ahead of half-time.

Brighton’s official report records Gross’s fifth goal of the season. The hosts created further opportunities after the interval but did not add to their lead.

Our Brighton 2-0 Brentford report covers the key incidents. See our Brighton–Brentford player ratings for Dave.Sport’s assessment of the individual performances.