Sussex

Keifer MacDonald
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

As each week passes it is becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss Brighton's title credentials.

Having won seven of their opening 10 Premier League matches, including beating Arsenal and Manchester City, the Seagulls have shown quality as well as character.

But it is not just their league position that makes for impressive reading. Almost all of the underlying numbers point to a side capable of maintaining their early-season form.

Brighton have created the second-highest number of big chances (37) in the division and scored more goals (26) than any other side this term.

Much of their attacking threat has been driven by Pascal Gross, who rejoined the club from Borussia Dortmund in January, having left in 2024.

The German midfielder has spent seven-and-a-half years at the Amex across two spells, either side of his spell back in his homeland, and has re-established himself as Brighton's creative heartbeat this season.

Gross has created eight big chances in the Premier League, more than any other player.

As well as finding the back of the net against Brentford, he also created at least five chances for his team-mates.

It was the 27th time since the start of the 2017-18 season that Gross has created five or more chances in a single match, with only Kevin de Bruyne (48) and Bruno Fernandes (47) having managed more.

He admitted earlier this week: "I just keep going. I think I'm fit, I try to prepare as good as I can and try to help the team win games."

At the other end of the pitch, only defending champions and current leaders Arsenal have been more impressive than Brighton, who have kept the joint-highest number of clean sheets (seven) and conceded the second-fewest goals (five) in the division.

"The way they're playing at the moment, Champions League qualification is probably the minimum that you'd expect Brighton to achieve," former Everton midfielder Leon Osman told BBC Sport.

"They look like a team that has really kicked on over the last 18 months. The football they're playing is outstanding and they are a great team to watch.

"Can they win the league? I think it would be unexpected if they did, but I expected them to win something this year, whether that is a domestic trophy like the FA Cup or the Conference League."

There was another welcome boost for Brighton as Yankuba Minteh made his first Premier League appearance of the season against Brentford.

The Gambia forward, who was the subject of an unsuccessful bid from Liverpool during the summer, has been one of their most dangerous attacking players since joining from Newcastle United in 2024.

Minteh's return to fitness is expected to be followed closely by that of Kaoru Mitoma, who has been sidelined since May with a hamstring complaint.

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Brighton and Brentford.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Barry: Brilliant from Brighton. A really solid 2-0 win over Brentford and never looked in any trouble. Just a confident, assured performance from start to finish. Champions League? Why not! Let it roll!

Sarah: We played beautiful football. Tight on the ball throughout, every man in the team playing their part. The Diego Gomez goal, another corker. We deserve our second place in the Premier League. A far cry from sitting under a bin bag in the rain at the Goldstone. Maybe it's time fans of the 'big six' stopped starting sentences with 'teams like Brighton'.

David: Yet another clean sheet, this time without too much effort. This almost seemed like a European game as we played against a five-man block defence after Brentford deservedly went down to 10 men. Second in the Premier League - we can dream, can't we?

Pedro: Brighton made Brentford look ordinary and that's not what any Albion fan was expecting before the match. For all Brighton's attacking prowess, Brentford were able to shut up shop with 10 men and force a relatively dull second half from a club capable of beating the biggest teams in the league. Respect to the Bees for turning up.

Brentford fans

Phil: Brighton were too good for us from kick-off. A lack of energy and self-discipline ensured the game was over as a contest after 20 mins. We need to start games on a more positive note.

Julian: The match was destroyed by the sending off. However, the truth is that Brighton were by far the better side, unfortunately. Keith Andrews got his selection wrong this time. No creative player allowed Brighton to dominate the game. It felt a bit like the away games against Tottenham and Crystal Palace. Both were poor performances, as was this. But overall, the Bees are now an established Premier League side.

Douglas: A terrible performance brought on again by ill discipline. Brentford seem to pick up yellow cards for fun and already have three red cards. This is the first time this season that I have been worried about Brentford, not the way they play football, but their lack of discipline.

Will: Strong defensive effort in the second half, that's the best thing I can say. We seem to have problems with discipline. This is two games thrown by us for just silly red cards. You go in and make a rash tackle, at least you're making a play… reds when the ball isn't even in play (and honestly, Kevin Schade's petulant yellow too), that's just letting them get to you. We have a promising season but we seem determined to undermine ourselves. Keith Andrews needs to enforce a better standard. We go again.

Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross, speaking to Sky Sports: "No. We are not in a title race. But we have started the season really well. It's the beginning of the season.

"You see the Premier League, the margins, you look at the results - we are not getting carried away yet. Every game we have to suffer a lot. Sometimes it is momentum. But we are really pleased to head into the international break like this."

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Did you know?

• Brighton have scored 40 goals in 17 matches across all competitions this season, the joint-most of any Premier League team, along with Manchester City.

• Brighton and Hove Albion have picked up 22 points from their first 10 Premier League matches this season, their most ever across the first 10 matches of a top-flight campaign.