Media review: Albion second after beating Brentford

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How the newspapers and websites reported Sunday's 2-0 win.

Nick Szczepanik

2026-11-09T09:30+00:00

Pascal Gross makes it 2-0 against Brentford with his fifth goal of the season. 📷Paul Hazlewood

If serious football writers keep on suggesting that Albion can threaten the Champions League places or even mount a title challenge, then perhaps even the most sceptical of Albion fans – in other words, most of us – will soon have to agree.

Matt Barlow of the Daily Mail led the chorus of acclaim after the 2-0 victory over Brentford. “Onwards and upwards go Brighton,” he wrote. “Another victory to send them soaring into second place with only Arsenal above them.

“It is a lofty perch for the Seagulls and one more admirable when considering the depths from which they have risen. Homeless and penniless, on the brink of extinction at the end of the last century, they are now daring to dream about the Champions League.

“To infinity and beyond. Why not? Fabian Hurzeler’s team have already beaten Arsenal and Manchester City without conceding this season. The only goals scored against them in the last six Premier League games came at Liverpool, where they lost 2-0 but were not outplayed.

“City’s season is mired in uncertainty, awaiting sentence for financial breaches and the other half of the traditional Big Six are so erratic there will likely be scope for interlopers when the prized European tickets are handed out in May.

“It is six months away but at this moment there are not four teams better than Fabian Hurzeler’s. Brighton appear fully formed. Delightfully fluent in attack. Creative with zip and imagination and different ways to score goals.

“There is a defined style of play. Solid at the back with enough sporting maturity to survive a test of needle, which this became against Brentford after the red card for Igor. The Bees already trailed to a screamer from the left boot of Diego Gomez and went further behind before half time when Pascal Gross converted a penalty awarded for a shirt pull by Keane Lewis-Potter on Luka Vuskovic.

“Gross, the 35-year-old midfielder schemer who walloped his penalty into the top corner in emphatic fashion, embodies the confidence pulsing through this team and his goal closed the contest. Every substitution made by Hurzeler came as a reminder of their strength and quality.

“The Conference League is not proving a distraction to a squad of such depth and Hurzeler gave fans his permission to dream.”

John Brewin of The Guardian sang from the same hymn sheet, asking “Who can stop Brighton’s ascension in English and European football? They continue to set standards, practices that leave almost everybody else trailing in their wake.

“Their second-place position in the Premier League would once have read like a glitch in a Football Manager session. Come November 2026, they appear the only team capable of throwing down a challenge to Arsenal.

“Under low winter sun, Brentford, the club Brighton are often compared to, though one with a different outlook, were readily swatted aside. If Keith Andrews’ team, and their fans at the Amex, might level blame at a couple of refereeing decisions, it was a contest they were given little chance of rescuing anything from.

“A successful return to the Amex following five Brighton away trips, more than 5,000 miles on the road including victory at Manchester City and Getafe over the last two outings. Normal service was duly resumed, any negatives coming in a failure to add to their first-half goals.

“This week, Paul Scholes, an unlikely progressive, having watched Brighton train at Salford, declared himself an admirer of a ‘level of coaching’ he suggested is unsurpassed in English football.

“The results are eye-catching. Diego Gomez’s goal was not as spectacular as the halfway-line goal of the season against Crystal Palace but a beauty nonetheless. Caressing the ball first with his left and then with his right, he laid up a thrash past Caoimhin Kelleher. Its trajectory was unerring, unstoppable. The Paraguayan does not do tap-ins.

“The path to a commanding victory came via another means. Igor Thiago did not last many minutes beyond his failed attempt to lob Verburggen. Scuffling in midfield with Chema Andrés, his shove was first ruled a yellow by the referee, Michael Oliver. In stepped the video assistant referee, Stuart Attwell, to advise a more serious punishment.

“Once Brentford reverted to a five-man defensive shell, Brighton’s dominance of possession became near-total. Luka Vuskovic, previously serving as a deep-lying playmaker threading unhurried passes to each flank, won the penalty from which Brighton’s second came. Keane Lewis-Potter’s panicked response to a physical 18-yard box mismatch was to snatch the Croatian’s shirt. Gross’s penalty was struck as truly as Gómez’s goal, just as unstoppable for Kelleher.

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Another wonder strike from Diego Gomez set Albion on the road to victory. Pascal Gross calmly doubled that lead from the penalty spot before half time. Albion dominated for long periods, and go into the international break with only Arsenal above them in the Premier League. Club photographers Paul Hazlewood, James Boardman and Simon Roe were on hand to capture all the action from the first home game following a run of five consecutive away fixtures.

“Yasin Ayari’s expertise in finding scoring positions created two chances before he was replaced by Jack Hinselwood, who found similar space to drill wide. Hurzeler would not countenance any let-up. As Brighton continue to meet the demands of their coach, so many others are being left in their wing mirrors.”

Kiefer MacDonald of the BBC Sport website was also asking questions. “Could Brighton really do the impossible and win the Premier League this season? Try telling their supporters otherwise after another impressive performance secured a seventh league win of the campaign and lifted them up to second place, five points behind leaders Arsenal after 10 games.

“The Seagulls look unstoppable at the moment. They are the highest scorers in the division and also boast the second-best defensive record.

“Their victory over Brentford was made all the more straightforward after the Bees were reduced to 10 men with less than a third of the match played at the Amex Stadium.

“Even before that, though, Brighton were clearly the team in the ascendancy and had caused the visitors a handful of problems.

“Boss Fabian Hurzeler may not be dreaming of a title challenge just yet, but after another weekend in which his side's remarkable campaign gathered further momentum, it may only be a matter of time before their supporters start to believe the impossible could become reality.”

Albion paid tribute to the fallen at Sunday's game. 📷Paul Hazlewood.

Dan King of The Sun began his report with the man – and the moment – of the match. “Diego Gomez set up a one-man goal-of-the-season competition to help send the Seagulls soaring into second spot,” he wrote.

“Brighton had played five away games in a row since Gomez belted one in from the halfway line in the 5-0 rout of Crystal Palace. And the Paraguayan turned a sort of homecoming into a beautiful day with another sensational strike.

“Both clubs are known for doing data deep dives to find unpolished gems like Gomez. The home team’s stats gurus would have been willing the attacking midfielder not to shoot when he picked the ball up 25 yards out. You don’t score from there, the xG would have been saying. But it is unexpected goals which make football so exciting and this one had grown adults roaring with the thrill of it all.

“Although Brentford could do little about that, they then ensured Brighton would go on to win. Centre forward Igor Thiago was sent off for raising his hands to Chema Andres midway through the first half after referee Michael Oliver was called to the VAR monitor.

“And the game was over before the break when Keane Lewis-Potter needlessly fouled Luka Vuskovic, leaving Pascal Gross to smash home a penalty.

"Brighton gladly accepted the gifts and, a week after winning at the Etihad for the first time, leapfrogged Manchester City into second place.

“Brighton were guilty at times of making too many passes and trying to score the perfect goal. But Gomez had already done that, with one unforgettable hit.”