The Gunners faced substantial disapprobation.
Fabian Hurzeler, manager of Brighton and Hove Albion, was scathing in his critique of the tactical approach employed by Premier League leaders Arsenal after the Gunners secured a vital 1-0 victory on the south coast on Wednesday.
Bukayo Saka’s first-half strike, facilitated by a grievous mistake from Brighton’s custodian Bart Verbruggen, proved adequate for Arsenal to clinch all three points.
This outcome, coupled with Manchester City’s unexpected 2-2 tie at home against Nottingham Forest, extended Arsenal’s lead at the table’s summit to seven points, although they have contested one more fixture than City.
Nevertheless, the predominant subject of discussion following the match was not Arsenal’s robust standing in the championship race, but rather Hurzeler’s remarks concerning the Gunners’ perceived delaying tactics.
The German had previously lambasted Mikel Arteta’s squad for apparent time-wasting strategies in his pre-match press conference, and he delivered a biting post-match appraisal, asserting that “only one side endeavored to play.”
“I pose a single query to you,” Hurzeler stated. “Have you ever witnessed a goalkeeper in a Premier League fixture go to ground three times? Such occurrences are beyond your control; consequently, the Premier League must establish a regulation.”
“I articulated my viewpoint prior to the game, and I stand by it. Ultimately, I believe that against such adversaries, you can only penalize them by triumphing, so today I possess no counter-arguments. Had I achieved a 2-1 victory, a merited 2-1 victory, my discourse would be different.”
When questioned if the outcome vindicated Arsenal’s methods, Hurzeler responded: “But that is precisely what I mean… [it represents] a distinct manner of winning. Should they secure the Premier League title, no one will inquire into *how* they achieved it.
“You can genuinely sense their current dedication to winning at all costs, and ultimately, it boils down to the regulations. So, if the Premier League, if the referee, permits every action, then it becomes problematic. They then establish their own conventions. At present, I have the impression they are enacting their own rules, irrespective of their playing style.
“I will never be the type of manager who endeavors to win in that fashion. Naturally, every team will manage and consume time, but there must be a boundary, and that boundary must be defined by the Premier League. The limit must be imposed by the officials. Presently, they [Arsenal] merely act as they please.
“Where will this trajectory lead in the future? That is my inquiry. In one match, you play 60 minutes of effective time, and then when you face Arsenal, it’s merely 50 minutes. That constitutes a 10-minute disparity, and this is what the spectators are remunerating for. If I were to ask everyone in this room: ‘Did you genuinely relish this football encounter?’ I am certain perhaps one individual would raise their arm because they are a fervent Arsenal supporter, but beyond that, no prospect.”
Hurzeler conveyed his stance unequivocally with his remarks, but do his assertions regarding the extent of Arsenal’s time-wasting against Brighton withstand scrutiny?
Arsenal and game delays: The statistics
By a specific metric, they do.
According to Opta, Arsenal expended a cumulative 30 minutes and 51 seconds to recommence play against Brighton, marking their highest aggregate in a Premier League fixture this season.
However, an examination of the average duration it took the Gunners to reintegrate the ball into play presents an alternative perspective.
Arsenal spent, on average, 31.4 seconds to get the ball in motion from corner kicks, goal kicks, throw-ins, and free-kicks. In the 2025-26 season, there have been 195 instances where a team required a longer period to resume play.
What likely exacerbated Hurzeler’s irritation the most, nonetheless, was the sheer volume of stoppages initiated by the Gunners.
Indeed, Arsenal’s count of 59 stoppages against Brighton ranks as the eighth-highest total by a team in a Premier League match this term, though the overall delay time of 1851 seconds was merely the 22nd-highest total.
These figures paint a nuanced portrait. The aggregate time taken to restart play and the quantity of interruptions lend credibility to Hurzeler’s grievances, but the average suggests Arsenal is far from the most egregious, and certainly not the sole transgressor in this domain.
Of course, Hurzeler’s exasperation will have been magnified by his team’s incapacity to dismantle Arsenal despite possessing 60 percent of the ball and almost doubling the Gunners in expected goals (Brighton 0.8-0.43 Arsenal).
And the reality remains that, as long as it proves effective, Arsenal will devise methods to abbreviate matches when circumstances are not entirely in their favor and they face pressure. This approach will not render them beloved champions, and there will undoubtedly be further censure directed at Arteta and his squad, but, as Hurzeler articulated, no one in the Arsenal changing room will be concerned as long as they ultimately reclaim the pinnacle of English football after three consecutive runner-up finishes.