BRIGHTON, England — Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler criticized Arsenal’s time-wasting strategies, urging the Premier League to take action as he accused the Gunners of “playing by their own rules.”
A deflected shot from Bukayo Saka in the ninth minute secured a 1-0 victory for Arsenal at the American Express Stadium, propelling them to a seven-point lead atop the Premier League.
The match was marked by tension, with Hürzeler and Arsenal’s coach Mikel Arteta exchanging heated words on the sidelines as Brighton grew frustrated over what they believed were persistent delays in the game.
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Prior to the match, Hürzeler had claimed that Arsenal was “creative” in managing the clock at set pieces, but he escalated his criticism following the defeat. He revealed that referee Chris Kavanagh informed him at halftime that he felt unable to adequately penalize Arsenal for their time-wasting tactics.
“There are different ways to win,” Hürzeler remarked. “If Arsenal wins the Premier League, nobody will inquire about how they achieved it.”
“It’s evident they will do anything to win the game. Ultimately, it comes down to having rules. If the Premier League and the referees allow excessive time-wasting, it becomes a challenge to regulate.”
“They seem to operate by their own guidelines at the moment, which complicates proper assessment. Would a goalkeeper ever be sent off for two yellow cards due to time-wasting? That’s not going to happen. This is why we need clear regulations to protect referees, and the Premier League must assist in this regard.”
Despite dominating possession, taking more shots, and having a higher expected goals rate, Brighton still faced defeat.
“I was proud of how we played today,” Hürzeler commented. “It seemed like there was only one team attempting to play football.”
“I refuse to be the kind of manager who resorts to those tactics; my focus is on player development and encouraging them to improve and enjoy the game. While all teams will manage the clock to some extent, there must be limits enforced by the Premier League, and right now, teams can act with impunity.”
“If I were to ask everyone in this room whether they truly enjoyed today’s match, I doubt more than one would raise their hand, likely if they’re an Arsenal supporter. Beyond that, I see no chance.”
“What lies ahead is my concern. One match could see 60 minutes of actual playtime, while facing Arsenal might only yield 50 minutes. That’s a ten-minute discrepancy—is that what fans are paying for?”
Arteta chose not to engage with Hürzeler’s remarks. “What a surprise,” he said, unimpressed when informed of the comments.
“You can refer back to previous matches for similar comments. I cherish my players. That’s what matters most. I love them, we cherish them, and I appreciate our competitive spirit.”