Brighton & Hove Albion
Three Lessons from City’s Defeat at Brighton
Brighton overturned City’s lead as defensive frailties returned; Haaland scored in his 100th PL game
Manchester City went into the September international break on the back of a surprise 2-1 defeat at the Amex Stadium, their second straight Premier League loss. Brighton & Hove Albion’s second-half substitutes altered the contest and goals from James Milner and Brajan Gruda completed a dramatic turnaround.
Defensive fragility returned
City’s defensive problems, exposed again against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, resurfaced at Brighton. Pep Guardiola selected a much-changed backline at the Amex, and what began as an untroubled hour for the visitors collapsed when Brighton injected urgency. The hosts managed 11 shots, three big chances and 2.25 expected goals in the second period. Abdukodir Khusanov and John Stones were unconvincing under pressure, Matheus Nunes needlessly raised his arms inside the penalty area to gift Brighton their equaliser and Rayan Aït-Nouri lost more duels (10) than any other player on the pitch. The high line was repeatedly breached and the back four imploded as soon as the Seagulls found width.
Haaland’s milestone and role
Sunday marked Haaland’s 100th Premier League appearance and he marked it with a goal. The striker fired five shots towards Bart Verbruggen’s goal during the first half and scored on his fifth attempt, caressing the ball into the bottom corner from close range. That strike was his 88th in the competition, nine more than any other player after a century of appearances in the competition’s history. It was not a pass-heavy first half for Haaland, who attempted just one pass before the break, but he again provided the decisive contribution. He will never be a forward who knits play together, creates space for others and tees up teammates, but his relentless goalscoring returns more than make up for his lack of impact outside of the penalty area.
Rodri’s return matters
Almost a year after his last Premier League start, Rodri returned to Guardiola’s XI. The Ballon d’Or winner had suffered an ACL tear last term and further setbacks at the FIFA Club World Cup. Sunday marked his full comeback. He dropped between the centre halves to dictate the tempo, recording the most touches (57) in the first half and a team-high six passes into the final third that helped break Brighton’s press.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea End Years of Age-Restricted Spending With Welbeck Deal
Chelsea have signed Danny Welbeck, ending a long transfer trend built around younger players and big fees.
Chelsea’s latest transfer has broken a pattern that had defined their recruitment for more than three years. The club have signed the 35-year-old Danny Welbeck from Brighton & Hove Albion for an undisclosed fee, ending a run in which they had not paid for a player older than 25 since the summer of 2022.
That approach produced 48 deals and more than $1.94 billion in combined transfer fees, with the age profile heavily weighted towards youth. Players aged 18 to 26 accounted for every paid signing in that period, while there were no arrivals between 27 and 34. Welbeck stands alone at 35, representing a clear departure from the model Chelsea had followed so closely.
There were signs the club were open to adjusting that method before the move for Welbeck, and the earlier pursuit of Jordan Henderson pointed in the same direction. Behdad Eghbali had already spoken about the need for balance in the squad and the importance of more experienced additions.
“We’ve got to be better on a few things, to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take [it] to the next level, to be consistent over time. We recognize we need balance. You tweak a model, you improve, you learn from mistakes.”
Welbeck fits that description. He comes off the most productive Premier League season of his career, scoring 13 goals in 2025-26 and playing in all but one Brighton match. Only João Pedro scored more league goals for Chelsea last season, and he managed 15.
His underlying numbers were equally strong. He led Brighton for appearances, goals, non-penalty goals, expected non-penalty goals, shots and shots on target, while also finishing with the club’s best conversion rate among the top scorers. Fabian Hürzeler highlighted more than just the goals, saying, “He is not only scoring goals,” and adding, “I think he can help every team in the world,”.
Chelsea will also be encouraged by his existing understanding with Pedro. The pair spent two seasons together at Brighton and briefly overlapped at Watford, giving the new signing at least one familiar link as he arrives in west London.
Arsenal
Premier League’s longest-serving managers and the rapid reset shaping 2026/27
A summer reset has left the Premier League with a long list of new managers and just one clear outlier.
The Premier League remains a ruthless place for managers, and the 2026/27 season begins with that reality clearer than ever. A summer of upheaval has left dugouts across the division occupied by a fresh wave of appointments, while one club is still waiting to name a new head coach.
At the top of the list, Mikel Arteta stands alone as the league’s longest-serving manager. Appointed by Arsenal on Dec. 22, 2019, he has outlasted every other current rival and remains comfortably ahead of the pack. Behind him comes Unai Emery, who has been in charge of Aston Villa since Nov. 1, 2022, followed by Daniel Farke, who took over Leeds United on July 4, 2023.
Further down the rankings, the turnover becomes even more obvious. Régis Le Bris and Fabian Hürzeler both arrived in July 2024, while Frank Lampard, David Moyes, Sergej Jakirović, Keith Andrews and Michael Carrick all joined their clubs during 2024 and 2025. The list then tightens further still, with a cluster of appointments made only months before the new campaign.
There are notable cases throughout. Roberto De Zerbi, hired by Tottenham Hotspur on March 31, 2026, sits just outside the top 10. Michael Carrick is inside it after first being named interim Manchester United boss in January and then permanently hired in May. At the other extreme, Álvaro Arbeloa is the latest arrival, taking charge of Fulham on July 7 after an unsuccessful spell as Real Madrid boss.
A number of other clubs have also changed course recently, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. Over half the division has turned to new managers in 2026 if Newcastle United are included, with the club still yet to appoint Eddie Howe’s successor.
For now, Arteta remains the benchmark for staying power in a league that rarely gives managers much time.
Arsenal
Premier League clubs step up 2026/27 preseason with fixtures spread across the world
Premier League clubs are spread across Europe, Asia and the US in a busy 2026/27 preseason.
With the World Cup having only recently concluded, Premier League clubs are already deep into their 2026/27 preseason programmes. The calendar is tight, the travel is heavy and the purpose is clear: get players ready, test combinations and give new faces a chance to make an early impression.
Arsenal, the reigning champions, are among the later starters. Their first friendly comes on Aug. 1 against Girona in Catalonia, before further meetings with Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como. They will then face Manchester City in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Aston Villa have already opened with a 5-0 win over Walsall and continue across Europe and Asia, while Bournemouth began with a 4-1 victory against St. Pauli. Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion both have short schedules remaining, with each taking on European opposition in mid-August.
Chelsea’s first run under new manager Xabi Alonso takes them to Australia for matches against Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, before trips through Hong Kong, Jakarta and Malaysia. Their final friendly is against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge.
Elsewhere, Everton have mixed early results and face a demanding route through Scotland, Germany and home soil before meeting Lille. Fulham also have work to do after a behind-closed-doors defeat to Norwich City. Hull City, Ipswich Town and Coventry City all have their own preparations mapped out, while Crystal Palace have already played twice and continue with fixtures in Italy and Germany.
Liverpool’s schedule includes a United States tour against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United, followed by Monaco and two games against Como on Aug. 16. Manchester City are taking a lighter approach, starting with Inter in Hong Kong before facing the K-League All-Stars, Atlético Madrid and Arsenal. Manchester United, meanwhile, have already lost to Wrexham and beaten Rosenborg 5-0, with Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and Milan still to come.
Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur also remain busy, with each club using these final weeks to sharpen up before the league begins.
