Neville tells Arteta what Arsenal failed to do in their ‘humbling’ at Brighton

Manchester United legend Gary Neville insists that Arsenal failed to take the threat from Brighton seriously before their 3-0 loss over the weekend.

The Gunners, who were crowned Premier League champions last term, had started the new season well with four wins from their first four league matches.

However, Brighton were ready for them with Pascal Gross, Charalampos Kostoulas and Chema Andres scoring the goals to inflict a first defeat of the season for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The Seagulls had already come from two goals down to beat Man Utd at Old Trafford earlier that week and backed it up with a brilliant performance at the Amex.

And Neville thinks Arsenal failed to take Brighton’s threats seriously before the match as the Seagulls moved two points behind the Gunners in the Premier League table.

Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast: “It’s just so rare to see them so open and pulled apart.

“But I watched Brighton at Old Trafford on Wednesday night and saw them humble Manchester United and be far better and more intelligent in knowing what to do.

“If you’re not quite there against these teams. We would go in the dressing room sometimes and because we were very experienced and got some bloody noses, you just knew at certain grounds, you’d say to each other in the dressing room, ‘If you’re not quite at it today, these will do you. By the way, don’t think this is going to be easy.’

“Arsenal probably didn’t quite do that enough before the match. It’s going to be a massive slog to get through that game for Arsenal and they didn’t treat it in that way and they didn’t get the details right that they always do.”

Arsenal must ‘get back on the bike quickly’ – Neville

Neville insists that Arsenal have “got to get back on the bike quickly” after taking a “humbling” against Brighton at the Amex.

The former defender added: “Look, you can have a blip. Arsenal have been so reliable and consistent over the last 12-18 months that they’re allowed a moment like that. But they’ve got to get back on the bike quickly when you’re a top club, a champion team and they’ve had that humbling that they had.”

Neville was very high on the Seagulls after the match and reckons Fabian Hurzeler’s side could make the Champions League spots this season.

He continued: “There is an opportunity for Brighton to shock everybody and get into the top four or five.

“Because Untied are not right, Liverpool are not right, Tottenham aren’t right, Villa aren’t right this year compared to the last couple of years. Chelsea, there’s question marks.

“All these teams that have spent hundreds and hundreds of millions over the last three or four years, if you’re being kind you’d say they’re in transition or not delivering if you’re being unkind.

“But those teams [Brighton and Brentford] are solid as a rock. Each player knows where they’re going to pass it next. I watch some of the top teams and they haven’t got a clue where they’re going to pass it next. It’s almost like they’re playing in moments.”