Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler praised his side's togetherness and intensity after a commanding 3-0 victory over Premier League champions Arsenal, a result that marked his team's first win over Mikel Arteta's side at the sixth attempt.
The scoreline could have been even more emphatic, with Matt O'Reilly denied twice late in the second half by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. Despite the missed opportunities, Hurzeler was in no doubt about the significance of the win.
"Beating the current champions and the best team in England is something special," Hurzeler said. "But it's not because the result is special, it's the performance. The boys showed real togetherness and intensity."
The German coach was particularly pleased with how his players approached the contest defensively and physically, crediting a disciplined focus on fundamentals rather than any perceived vulnerabilities in the Arsenal setup.
"They were horrible to play against today and that's because we did the basic things right," he said. "Overall I was very pleased with the performance. I think we deserved to win. It's a moment the players and the staff can enjoy because they worked hard for this, but it's also important why we had this success today, because we did the basics right and we were brilliant in the duels."
Rather than dwelling on Arsenal's shortcomings, Hurzeler insisted his team's success stemmed from sticking rigidly to their own game plan and philosophy, particularly in front of their home crowd at the Amex Stadium.
"I think it's not too much about the weaknesses from Arsenal. It's really about sticking to our principles and sticking to our beliefs and what we want to do in our game, especially at home and in front of our supporters," he explained. "And that was our approach, focusing on us not speaking too much about strengths or weaknesses from Arsenal."
Hurzeler was quick to acknowledge the quality within Arteta's squad, noting that opponents of Arsenal's caliber invariably possess significant individual talent that can turn a game at any moment. "Everyone knows when you see their team, there will come a lot of individual quality. There is a lot of individual class, a top team and the current champions," he said.
Instead, the Brighton boss framed his team's success around controlling what was within their power throughout the full 90 minutes. "It's about what can we do? What can we control to have the right approach and to be successful in this particular game? In terms of minute one to minute 90, attack versus defence," he added.
Beyond the tactical explanation, Hurzeler also used the platform to underline the strength in depth within his squad, pointing to the intensity and unity shown by his players as key factors in overturning the odds against one of the league's most dominant sides. While celebrating the achievement, the manager was also reported to have urged his squad to remain grounded, stressing that humility should accompany the celebration of such a landmark victory.
The win represents a significant marker for Hurzeler's project at Brighton, offering evidence that his team's principles-based approach can yield results even against the division's elite. With the champions dispatched in convincing fashion, attention will now turn to whether Brighton can carry this level of performance and belief into their upcoming fixtures.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (football) and BBC Sport (football).