Premier League: Hope and distraction during international break

International breaks, particularly those involving the Nations League, are rarely welcomed with open arms by Premier League and Championship clubs. Even less so when the first break of the season takes three very long weeks to complete and promises little of the quality we witnessed at the World Cup during the summer.

Throw in the prospect of dull, tactical encounters and, for Ireland supporters, two undesirable meetings with Israel, to put it mildly, and there is little to lift the mood.

Last night’s game against Kosovo came too late for this column’s deadline, so we will return to Ireland’s Nations League campaign later. Hopefully, the Boys in Green proved me wrong and produced a rip-roaring performance against the Balkan nation. 

For now, though, let’s look back at the opening five games of the new Premier League season and see what we have learned.

Arsenal are beatable

Before Saturday’s trip to Brighton, the reigning champions were beginning to look ominously unstoppable. There was even comparisons being made to the legendary ‘Invincibles’ of 2003-04, who completed an entire Premier League season without defeat.

Brighton brought that chatter to an emphatic halt.

Their 3-0 demolition of the Gunners at the Vitality Stadium was remarkable because Arsenal had not lost a league game by more than one goal since October 2024. Perhaps they should have seen the warning signs. The previous time Arsenal lost by three goals was also against Brighton, in May 2023.

One defeat is hardly going to derail Arsenal’s bid to retain the title. In fact, having the ‘Invincibles’ talk killed off early might prove a blessing, removing one unnecessary distraction and allowing Mikel Arteta’s side  concentrate on what really matters.

The international break offers Arsenal time to regroup and address what went wrong at the Vitality. Mind you, Arteta  having three weeks to stew over a 3-0 defeat might not be that desirable.

It would also be wrong to view Saturday purely through the prism of Arsenal’s failings.

Brighton were excellent

Birighton go into the break third in the table on merit, not luck. Fabian Hurzele’s side are the product of a project that has been building for years, and beating champions has become something of a habit.

This was the third successive season in which Brighton have defeated the reigning Premier League champions, following victories over Liverpool last season and Manchester City in 2023-24.

Indeed, Brighton, Brentford and, to a lesser extent, Bournemouth have created a southern Bermuda Triangle where the title ambitions of the Premier League’s big guns have a nasty habit of disappearing without trace.

Brentford barrel on

Keith Andrews, meanwhile, continues to defy expectations at unfashionable Brentford.

The Bees have made their best start to a Premier League season, remaining unbeaten after five matches and sitting fourth. Their comfortable 3-0 victory over fancied neighbours Chelsea has even left a few punters dreaming of Brighton or Brentford somehow repeating Leicester City’s 2016 miracle.

To do that, though, they may first have to find a way past Manchester City.

Maresca's moment

Enzo Maresca’s side have shrugged off concerns surrounding the departure of legendary boss Pep Guardiola and simply kept winning.

Sunday’s entertaining 5-3 goalfest against Sunderland made it five Premier League victories from five and seven consecutive wins in all competitions, leaving City three points clear of Arsenal at the summit.

For once, the international break probably comes at the worst possible time.

City have momentum to burn and now have it interrupted for three weeks before returning to face Liverpool in the Premier League and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Carrick rocked

At the other end of the mood spectrum, Manchester United might be delighted to see everyone disappear on international duty.

The optimism generated at the end of last season has evaporated alarmingly quickly under Michael Carrick.

United sit a lowly 12th with just one league victory. They can legitimately feel hard done by after a couple of matches slipped away late, but luck had nothing to do with an appalling Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton after leading 2-0 and playing against 10 men, nor an inept draw with winless Fulham last Sunday.

Carrick now gets something precious at Old Trafford: time without another league game looming.

A chance to regroup, reset and find out why the early promise disappeared so quickly.

Perhaps there is something to be said for international breaks after all.