Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer has made a surprising prediction when he tipped Brighton to become Arsenal’s strongest challengers in the race for the Premier League title this season, placing them ahead of Manchester City.
Arsenal strengthened their position at the summit of the table with a narrow 1-0 victory over Hull City at the weekend, extending their advantage to five points.
Meanwhile, Manchester City suffered another setback after recording their third consecutive league defeat, a result that saw them drop to third place.
City’s struggles opened the door for Brighton to move into second position following an impressive 2-0 triumph over Brentford.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side have enjoyed an outstanding start to the campaign, having already recorded league victories against both Arsenal and Manchester City.
After 10 matches, Brighton boast the division’s highest-scoring attack, while only league leaders Arsenal have conceded fewer goals.
Their impressive performances have caught the attention of Shearer, who believes the Seagulls have what it takes to maintain their challenge throughout the season.
Speaking to Betfair, the former England captain said: ‘Brighton could be Arsenal’s main challenge to the title this season.’
He also questioned whether Liverpool and Chelsea would be capable of sustaining a serious title challenge, given their current situations.
‘I think Liverpool are in transition. Chelsea, the same. Those clubs still have plenty of work to do.
‘Brighton have been incredible. The football they’re playing is impressive, including in Europe. I don’t know whether that will take its toll as the season progresses, but they’re handling things very well at the moment.
‘I don’t think they’ll fade away. I think they’ll remain in contention for most of the season.’