Arsenal Crash to Defeat at Brighton, Tottenham Gloom Deepens

 Brighton's Charalampos Kostoulas, right and Kadioglu celebrate after scoring second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal in Brighton, England, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP)
Brighton's Charalampos Kostoulas, right and Kadioglu celebrate after scoring second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal in Brighton, England, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP)
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Arsenal Crash to Defeat at Brighton, Tottenham Gloom Deepens

 Brighton's Charalampos Kostoulas, right and Kadioglu celebrate after scoring second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal in Brighton, England, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP)
Brighton's Charalampos Kostoulas, right and Kadioglu celebrate after scoring second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal in Brighton, England, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP)

Brighton and Hove Albion brought Arsenal's perfect start to the season to an abrupt end with a stunning 3-0 demolition of the Premier League champions on the south coast on Saturday.

Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas rewarded Brighton's first-half dominance with precise finishes and Chema Andres struck with a header after the interval as Arsenal slumped to their heaviest defeat for three years.

Earlier, Tottenham Hotspur scored their first Premier League goals of the season, but they proved in vain as they remained without a victory, going down 3-2 at home to Aston Villa.

Promoted Hull City suffered their first league defeat of the season as they lost 2-1 at Newcastle United while Everton moved into the top five as they beat Ipswich Town 1-0.

Coventry City scored their first goal and earned their first points since ending their 25-year exile from the top flight with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest to move off the bottom.

Arsenal had won seven successive matches since the start of the ‌campaign, including their ‌opening four Premier League games, to begin their title defense in ominous fashion.

But the wheels ‌fell ⁠off spectacularly against ⁠a free-scoring Brighton side who moved into third place.

'NOT RESPECTING THE GAME'

"A really disappointing result and performance. Brighton were another gear up from us. We were extremely poor technically and not respecting the game," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

"They were another gear from us in the basics of the game."

Wearing a special blue-shirted kit to mark their 125th anniversary, Fabian Huerzeler's Brighton produced an intensity that Arsenal simply could not match.

Gross beat Arsenal keeper David Raya in the 31st minute with a low shot that went in off the upright -- his fourth goal in his last five games -- and Kostoulas scored with a similar effort following a counter-attack less than a ⁠minute after Bukayo Saka was close to an equalizer at the other end.

Andres punished some ‌slack marking to head in from close range from Gross's corner.

Arsenal have 12 ‌points from five games, the same as Manchester City who can move three points clear at the top if they beat Sunderland on ‌Sunday. Brighton, who have scored a league-leading 16 goals, have 10 points.

TOTTENHAM LURCH DEEPER INTO TROUBLE

Aston Villa breathed a sigh ‌of relief as they claimed their first league win of the season, but Tottenham's season lurched deeper into trouble after a third league defeat of the season.

Villa keeper Zion Suzuki produced several fine saves to frustrate Tottenham and Unai Emery's side took the lead in first-half stoppage time when summer signing Johan Manzambi tapped in while the hosts were down to 10 men after Micky van de Ven was off ‌the pitch receiving treatment for a cut face.

Nicolas Jackson doubled Villa's advantage in the 67th minute, finishing clinically to put the visitors firmly in control and Emi Buendia struck ⁠11 minutes from time with ⁠a rocket to the top corner from 22 yards.

Many Tottenham fans had streamed to the exits before Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke scored late on to salvage some respectability for Roberto De Zerbi's strugglers.

"Today I was very disappointed, very sad, very frustrated for the performance. Because we can't lose this game in this way, absolutely," De Zerbi, whose side have two points and could end up bottom heading into the international break, said.

Thierno Barry's goal was enough for unbeaten Everton to take the points against Ipswich and move fifth. Abdul Fatawu was sent off for a second yellow card for Ipswich in the 67th minute.

Newcastle galloped into a two-goal lead against Hull with Joe Willock and Lewis Hall scoring in the opening seven minutes but were forced to hang on as Mohamed-Ali Cho replied for the visitors midway through the second half.

In the late game at the City Ground, Jay Dasilva's brilliant 55th-minute effort was enough for Coventry to make their mark after a tough start to the season for Frank Lampard's team.

Dasilva latched on to a long clearance and curled a shot past Matz Sels. Forest were denied a late equalizer when Igor Jesus poked home but was adjudged, after a VAR check, to have tripped defender Caleb Yirenkyi in the build-up.



‘Special’ to Face Friend Perez in Champions League, Says Liverpool’s Iraola

UEFA Champions League - Liverpool Press Conference - AXA Training Centre, Liverpool, Britain - October 19, 2026 Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola during the press conference. (Reuters)
UEFA Champions League - Liverpool Press Conference - AXA Training Centre, Liverpool, Britain - October 19, 2026 Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola during the press conference. (Reuters)
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‘Special’ to Face Friend Perez in Champions League, Says Liverpool’s Iraola

UEFA Champions League - Liverpool Press Conference - AXA Training Centre, Liverpool, Britain - October 19, 2026 Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola during the press conference. (Reuters)
UEFA Champions League - Liverpool Press Conference - AXA Training Centre, Liverpool, Britain - October 19, 2026 Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola during the press conference. (Reuters)

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola says it will be a "special" experience to go up against a Villarreal side managed by longtime friend Inigo Perez when the teams meet in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday.

The two Spaniards first knew each other as young players making their way at Athletic Bilbao before Iraola recruited Perez as his assistant coach when in charge of Madrid club Rayo Vallecano.

"For me it is a special game because Inigo is my friend," Iraola told a pre-match press conference at Anfield on Monday.

"We know each other since the academy years in Athletic Club, we played with each other in the first team. As soon as he retired, I was quick enough to grab him to help as an assistant. We've been through a lot of things together.

"It is a privilege for me to face him in a Champions League game. He knows me very well, he knows everything. It is a team that I follow, I know the players and it is going to be a little bit strange but in a good way."

Iraola, asked if he had spoken to Perez lately, said Tuesday's game had put a temporary restriction on their friendship.

"When these things happen (facing each other in a match), it is not good for relationships," the 44-year-old Iraola explained.

"I talk to him a lot, but when you know you are going to face each other, you stop talking because you leave the distance, you don't want to... Lately, it is probably the moment we have talked less.

"We normally call time to talk about La Liga, the Premier League, about football, other stuff, about our families. But now when the game gets closer, we haven't been in touch."

Iraola is in his first season in charge of Liverpool, having arrived at Anfield from Premier League rivals Bournemouth -- where he tried to bring Perez only for his friend to be denied a work permit by British authorities.

"We tried to take him to England, he was here but he couldn't work," said Iraola. "He didn't receive the work permit. We tried to do everything to convince the panel. I complained in the moment because I came with just two guys, but it has worked well for him also.

"Now he is coaching in the Champions League with Villarreal and I am so, so happy for him."


PSG-Barcelona Match in Champions League to Go Ahead Amid Shock Over France’s Violent Unrest

 Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender #05 Marquinhos (L) fights for the ball with Paris Saint-Germain's French defender #51 William Pacho during a training session at the Campus Paris Saint-Germain in Poissy, on October 19, 2026, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League first round day 3 football match against Barcelona. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender #05 Marquinhos (L) fights for the ball with Paris Saint-Germain's French defender #51 William Pacho during a training session at the Campus Paris Saint-Germain in Poissy, on October 19, 2026, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League first round day 3 football match against Barcelona. (AFP)
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PSG-Barcelona Match in Champions League to Go Ahead Amid Shock Over France’s Violent Unrest

 Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender #05 Marquinhos (L) fights for the ball with Paris Saint-Germain's French defender #51 William Pacho during a training session at the Campus Paris Saint-Germain in Poissy, on October 19, 2026, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League first round day 3 football match against Barcelona. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender #05 Marquinhos (L) fights for the ball with Paris Saint-Germain's French defender #51 William Pacho during a training session at the Campus Paris Saint-Germain in Poissy, on October 19, 2026, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League first round day 3 football match against Barcelona. (AFP)

The Champions League showpiece between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona will go ahead as planned on Tuesday in Paris, the French interior minister confirmed despite violent weekend protests.

Many French citizens have been left shocked by the images of violence that have drawn worldwide attention and highlighted the country's tense social climate. On Monday, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said he instructed prefects to impose “very limited” and “localized” curfews in cities to prevent more rioting and looting.

The violence targeted city halls, other public buildings and hundreds of businesses across the country, leading to more than 2,000 arrests.

Tuesday's match between PSG and Barcelona at the Parc des Princes will require a robust security deployment, with police forces already strained following weeks of student protests.

In May, Paris police detained dozens of people after violence disrupted celebrations of PSG's second Champions League title and a group tried to storm a police station.

Speaking after an emergency meeting with top government officials, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the possibility of calling off planned events was discussed, including football matches.

“But this does not apply to tomorrow’s match between PSG and FC Barcelona,” he said.

Nuñez added that other matches planned in European competitions this week would not be affected. He mentioned the match between Lille and Galatasaray scheduled on Wednesday in the northern city, where looters also vandalized shops over the weekend.

Asked whether the tensions in France could affect his team, PSG coach Luis Enrique said it would not, and that he was not scared.

“I'm not the right person to speak about this topic,” he added. “I'm here to speak about football. For sure we don't like this violence but that is how it is in society. So we just need to stay focused on the football match.”

Nuñez did not mention the NFL game in Paris between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints. The NFL said last week it remains scheduled as planned. The teams are set to play Sunday at Stade de France in what would be the NFL’s first regular-season game in Paris, where events are also planned for football fans during the week.

Nuñez offered his resignation on Sunday, but French President Emmanuel Macron asked him to stay to respond to police needs in an emergency situation. Macron instructed Nuñez “to take all necessary steps to ensure full transparency about the failures in planning and intelligence-gathering that led to the violence.”

Lecornu said details of the areas to be placed under curfew will be provided later.

Nuñez acknowledged that authorities “lost control” in some major cities on Saturday, when hundreds of businesses were looted.


Raya Proud of Arsenal’s ‘Incredible’ Reaction After Third Straight Win

 Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya kicks the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal in Nottingham, England, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP)
Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya kicks the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal in Nottingham, England, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP)
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Raya Proud of Arsenal’s ‘Incredible’ Reaction After Third Straight Win

 Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya kicks the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal in Nottingham, England, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP)
Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya kicks the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal in Nottingham, England, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP)

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya says the way the Premier League champions bounced back from their surprise defeat by Brighton last month with three straight wins since the international break has been "incredible".

Mikel Arteta's men, who visit Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday, had several weeks to ponder their 3-0 loss to Brighton.

But since getting back together, they have made it three wins from three, with Noni Madueke's late goal securing a 1-0 success at Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

"We came back very, very strong, especially after that tough defeat against Brighton and having 19 days since then to play a game," Raya told Arsenal's website.

"The way we responded, the way we played, the way we came back, is incredible, you know.

"So, delighted with the performances we have put in every single game. There are things to improve, of course, as always, but we just take the positives and we're looking forward to Wednesday now."

Madueke's 80th-minute deflected strike was Arsenal's only shot on target at the City Ground, but the manner of Arsenal's victory demonstrated their ongoing ability to grind out results -- a quality much in evidence during last season's title-winning triumph.

"(We showed) maturity and a lot of desire," Raya said. "Keep doing the right things and the ball will get into the net.

"We had experiences in the last two years where we drew 0-0 here (Forest), so I think we showed a lot of character to keep digging the result and in the end with a few crosses and a few of Bukayo's (Saka's) balls, the ball went in thanks to Noni.

"He's a special player and it's going to be a special goal for him to get the win at such a difficult ground and such a difficult team. So, I'm delighted for him."