The Full Time Report — Episode 134: A Three-Nil That Flattered, and a Twenty-Five-Year Wait (2026)

Brighton put three goals past the champions, and the scoreline flattered Arsenal. Coventry ended a 25-year wait for a Premier League win, and Tottenham's worst start to a top-flight season somehow got worse. Here is what happened on Saturday, and what it means.

Saturday's results

Premier League

Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Arsenal. Pascal Gross (31), Charalampos Kostoulas (45) and Chema Andrés (57) scored as Brighton marked their 125th anniversary. 1
Tottenham Hotspur 2-3 Aston Villa. Johan Manzambi (45+4), Nicolas Jackson (67) and Emi Buendía (79) put Villa ahead; Conor Gallagher (86) and Jan Paul van Hecke (90+8) replied. 2
Everton 1-0 Ipswich Town. Thierno Barry (11). 3
Newcastle United 2-1 Hull City. Joe Willock (3) and Lewis Hall (7); Mohamed-Ali Cho (67) for Hull. 3
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Coventry City. Jay DaSilva (55) — Coventry's first Premier League win in 25 years. 4

Around Europe

Sevilla 1-3 Barcelona (La Liga). A Raphinha hat-trick after Youssouf Fofana had put Sevilla ahead. 5
Roma 2-2 Inter (Serie A). Manu Koné scored twice for Roma, Lautaro Martínez twice for Inter. 6
Stuttgart 0-1 Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga). Dortmund went top, two points clear of Bayern Munich. 7 8
Other results: Lyon 4-0 Rennes, Toulouse 3-2 Le Havre, Paris FC 2-1 Strasbourg, Angers 2-0 Troyes and Le Mans 2-1 Lorient in Ligue 1; Celta Vigo 5-0 Racing Santander, Osasuna 1-1 Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Club 0-0 Alavés in La Liga; Lazio 2-0 Venezia, Cagliari 1-0 Udinese and Bologna 1-1 Torino in Serie A; Mainz 4-3 Borussia Mönchengladbach, Werder Bremen 3-2 Augsburg, Hamburger SV 2-1 Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt 2-2 Freiburg in the Bundesliga; Ajax 2-2 Excelsior in the Eredivisie. 7

Brighton's anniversary, and a scoreline that flattered Arsenal

Brighton's 125th anniversary shirt was a one-off, a deep blue design modelled on their first season in the Southern League in 1901, and the home supporters waved blue and white flags before kick-off. Arsenal arrived having won all seven matches this season and chasing an eighth to start a campaign for the first time since 1903. 1

Pascal Gross is 35 and was wearing the armband. He received the ball on the edge of the area from Charalampos Kostoulas on 31 minutes, and Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori were slow to close him down. Gross picked his spot off the inside of the post. 1

The second came five minutes before the interval. Charalampos Kostoulas, the 19-year-old signed for £30m last summer, had led Brighton's press all afternoon; David Raya had already tipped a deflected shot of his round the post after Bruno Guimarães lost the ball. This time Gabriel was watching the ball as Kostoulas hit one from 25 yards. 1

Twelve minutes into the second half, Chema Andrés headed in at the far post from a Gross corner. Brighton's supporters sang about Tottenham; Arsenal's began leaving. 1

Brighton could have had five. Kai Havertz went clean through and shot straight at Bart Verbruggen, Matt O'Riley did the same at the other end, Gabriel nearly turned a clearance into his own net, and Declan Rice was booked for lashing out at Malick Yalcouyé. Arteta sent on Max Dowman, who is 16, with 10 minutes left. 3

Arteta's verdict: "They deserved to win the game and it's a big lesson for us… From the first throw-in you could sense it, it was so clear. We put ourselves in trouble one time, two times, three times and we need to get out of that much quicker than that." 9

Fabian Hürzeler explained it from his own side. "Everyone speaks about a goal is a win, but a small win can be the first throw in, the first corner, win the first header, win the first tackle. If you win these small steps… then you can grow into the game." He also compared Gross to "a good wine". 9

Arsenal have now lost for the first time this season and by three goals for the first time since 10 May 2023 — 1,224 days — also against Brighton. They gave up top spot on goal difference. Brighton are third, two points behind them, and with 16 goals from five league games they are the division's top scorers. 9 10

Tottenham's worst start

Villa's first league win of the season was built on their goalkeeper. Zion Suzuki made a double save from Sávio in the 11th minute, stopped Archie Gray with his heel, and played 14 passes into the final third — twice as many as Sandro Tonali's seven. 2

Villa scored in first-half added time while Micky van de Ven, the Spurs captain, was off the pitch having a cut cheek treated. Emi Buendía dinked a pass over the Spurs defence, Andy Robertson slid the ball blind to John McGinn, McGinn whipped it back in, Boubacar Kamara's shot was deflected, and Johan Manzambi scooped it in from six yards. 2

Mohammed Kudus came on at half-time and had the ball in the net within 15 minutes, from a Robertson cross, but Robertson was ruled offside. Then Nicolas Jackson ran onto a long kick from Suzuki, laid the ball off to Manzambi, took the return on his chest, lifted it over Van de Ven and finished into the bottom corner. He celebrated by turning his thumb down at the camera. 2

Eleven minutes from time Emi Buendía hit one from distance, with almost no backlift, into the top corner. Conor Gallagher scored within three minutes of coming off the bench — Tottenham's first league goal of the season, from their 67th shot, ending 492 Premier League minutes without one. Jan Paul van Hecke headed a second in the eighth minute of added time. 2

De Zerbi walked straight down the tunnel at full time and the boos followed him. 11

"I am very disappointed, sad and frustrated for the performance," he said. "We can't lose the game in this way, we can't concede the second goal, we can't lose balance just because we are losing… We knew this season Aston Villa are playing 86% more long balls than last season and we spoke in many meetings about it." 11

Two points from five games is Tottenham's worst start to a Premier League season, worse than 2008-09 (two points, a goal difference of -3). They have also failed to win any of their last 48 matches in all competitions in which they conceded the first goal. 2 Villa move up to 15th on four points. 10

Twenty-five years for Coventry

Coventry had lost all four league games and had not scored a goal before Saturday. Forest, who had won at Aston Villa the previous week, were on the front foot from the first minute: James McAtee shot at Carl Rushworth after 50 seconds and had two more efforts blocked, Dan Ndoye curled one over from 18 yards, and Liam Delap hit the side-netting. Early in the second half, Ethan Pinnock threw himself in front of McAtee's shot. 4

Ten minutes into the second half Jay DaSilva raced onto a long kick from Rushworth, beat Daniel Muñoz and fired it in front of the away supporters. It was Coventry's first Premier League win since they beat Sunderland in April 2001, and their first league goal of the season. 4

Forest thought they had levelled. Igor Jesus found the net in the 86th minute and the referee, Jared Gillett, awarded the goal; the video assistant then sent him to the monitor, where he decided Jesus had clipped Caleb Yirenkyi's ankle and changed it to a foul. Bobby Thomas had already cleared one off the line. It is the second home game in a row at the City Ground to end with a VAR decision against Forest. 4

Glasner's side have now failed to score in their first three home league games, and have won once at the City Ground in the league since last December. Their away form is better: four points from trips to Liverpool and Aston Villa. Coventry's win lifted them above Tottenham and Fulham, who are the bottom two. 4 10

Two one-nils

Everton 1-0 Ipswich Town. Thierno Barry headed in from a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall corner on 11 minutes, and Everton defended it. A second Everton goal was ruled out by VAR, for Brennan Johnson standing in an offside position and interfering with the goalkeeper Christian Walton. Ipswich's Abdul Fatawu was sent off late for two yellow cards, the second for a dive, and Jordan Pickford made a series of saves. Everton are unbeaten and fifth; Ipswich have still not kept a clean sheet in 24 Premier League games, extending the worst such run in their top-flight history. 3 12

Newcastle United 2-1 Hull City. Joe Willock scored after three minutes and Lewis Hall after seven, and Newcastle should have had a third before half-time until Yoane Wissa missed a penalty. Mohamed-Ali Cho, on as a substitute, curled one in for Hull on 67 minutes, and Newcastle had to hold on. They have never lost a Premier League home game when leading by two or more at half-time (W68 D4). 3

Around Europe

Raphinha scored all three of Barcelona's goals at Sevilla. Youssouf Fofana had headed Sevilla in front on 18 minutes from Félix Correia's cross; Raphinha equalised three minutes later from Andreas Christensen's pass, headed the second from a Lamine Yamal cross six minutes after half-time, and ran onto another Yamal pass on 68 minutes to complete the hat-trick. Barcelona go into the international break with a 100% record in La Liga. 5 13

Roma 2-2 Inter. Manu Koné scored after six minutes and again on 37, and Lautaro Martínez pulled one back a minute after half-time and equalised on 79. Both clubs are on 13 points from five games. 6

Stuttgart 0-1 Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund went top of the Bundesliga on 12 points, two ahead of Bayern Munich, who had gone top themselves on Friday night. 7 8

Elsewhere

Championship. Queens Park Rangers came from two goals and a man down to draw 2-2 with Preston, through Kwame Poku (66) and Paul Smyth (90). Millwall drew 2-2 with West Ham, Wrexham beat Southampton 2-1 with a Keven Schlotterbeck own goal a minute from time, and Derby's Mohammed Fuseini equalised deep into added time at Burnley. 3

Scottish Premiership. Dundee 2-1 Motherwell, Dundee United 3-0 St Mirren, Hibernian 1-1 Aberdeen, St Johnstone 1-1 Falkirk, Kilmarnock 1-1 Hearts. 7

What is on today

Celtic v Rangers, 12pm at Celtic Park, is the first Old Firm league game of the season. Rangers won the League Cup meeting 3-0 last Sunday and Celtic lost 3-1 to Ferencváros in the Europa League on Thursday; no Rangers supporters will be inside the ground, after the two clubs barred away fans from this season's derbies. Martin O'Neill said Celtic are "far from rock bottom" and that a third defeat in a row would be "a psychological blow"; Derek McInnes can make it six straight wins. A win puts Rangers two points behind Celtic, a defeat eight. 14

Bournemouth v Liverpool (2pm) is Andoni Iraola's first return to the Vitality Stadium as Liverpool's manager. He reported no fresh injury concerns, with three long-term absentees plus Federico Chiesa. Manchester City v Sunderland (2pm): City are top on goal difference without playing and can go three clear. Leeds v Crystal Palace (2pm): Leeds can go third with a win. Fulham v Manchester United (4.30pm): Fulham are bottom with one point, United 13th with four. 10 15

The transfer desk

The window is shut until January, so none of this is a completed deal.

Arsenal are keen on a January move for Endrick, the 20-year-old Brazil forward at Real Madrid, where concerns are growing over his game time (Teamtalk). 16
Liverpool expect offers for Florian Wirtz in January and have no intention of selling him (Football Insider). 16
Barcelona remain interested in Erling Haaland and could make a serious offer next year (Football Insider). 16
Tottenham have rejected an offer from Shabab Al Ahli for Richarlison, 29 (Ekrem Konur). 16
Juventus and Atlético Madrid are monitoring Arsenal's Noni Madueke, 24 (Football London). 16
Liverpool and Manchester City are keen on Jon Aramburu, the 24-year-old Venezuela right-back at Real Sociedad (Teamtalk). 16
Paris Saint-Germain are in negotiations over new contracts with Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué (L'Équipe). 16
Juventus may move for a free-agent goalkeeper after losing loan signing Kamil Grabara, 27, to a torn ACL in training on Saturday (Calciomercato). 16