Arsenal sit five points clear at the top of the Premier League table after 10 games.

The Gunners started the new season as overwhelming favourites to retain the title, and so far, all signs point towards them becoming champions again.

It’s not just Arsenal fans; even rival supporters, as seen on TalkingPoints, are of the opinion that Mikel Arteta’s side will ‘walk’ the Premier League this season.

Brighton could emulate Leicester City and ruin Arsenal’s Premier League dream

10 years ago, in the 2015/16 season, Leicester City beat Arsenal to the Premier League title to achieve what many people felt was impossible.

The Gunners finished the season second, 10 points behind the Foxes and blew what was their best chance of winning the title in years at the time.

It was a nightmare for Arsene Wenger then, who came under enormous criticism for allowing a team like Leicester to pip him for the Premier League crown.

We may never see anything like that again, but there are a few eerie similarities between Claudio Ranieri’s side and Brighton and Hove Albion today in the title race with Arsenal.

After 10 games, the Seagulls are well ahead of where Leicester were in that infamous season and are exactly where the Gunners were.

Arsenal’s lead is bigger now compared to back then, but Brighton have already done what Leicester couldn’t do in 2015/16 – beat the Gunners.

There are more similarities that should frighten Gooners.

All the other big teams – Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea – are currently in transition and not performing well. This was exactly the case in that famous season.

Furthermore, Arsenal’s biggest problem in that campaign was their attack, with Olivier Giroud missing chance after chance when it mattered most. It’s the same right now.

Neither Kai Havertz nor Viktor Gyokeres have been clinical enough, and if you had to compare, Arteta’s other attackers now are all inferior to what Wenger had at his disposal back then.

Another point to consider is that Arsenal have Champions League football to deal with, and that definitely has its impact on their league performances.

The few advantages Arsenal have over Brighton and Hove Albion

The similarities above are close enough to scare a few Arsenal fans, but there are some advantages as well.

The Gunners’ defence now is levels above what Wenger had back then. The 2015/16 side conceded 36 goals – Arteta’s men haven’t let in that many in any of the last three seasons.

Also, Arsenal now know what it takes to win the Premier League title after their success last term. They didn’t have that 10 years ago under Wenger and collapsed when the pressure built up.

Furthermore, over the last 10 seasons at the 10-game mark, the average gap between first and second place has been 1.8 points. Usually, three or four teams remained within five points of the leaders at this stage.

This season, Arsenal are five points clear of Brighton at the top, with no other real contenders in sight.

Most teams with a five-point-plus cushion after 10 games – 2005/06 Chelsea, 2011/12 and 2017/18 Manchester City and 2019/20 Liverpool – went on to lift the trophy. Arsenal in 2013-14 were one of a few rare exceptions.

Arsenal should not underestimate Brighton

The ghost of 2016 is definitely scary considering the similarities, and if Arsenal don’t take Brighton seriously, history could repeat itself.

The Seagulls have shown that they can beat the big sides convincingly, and they have beaten the smaller teams by big margins as well.

The 3-0 win over Arsenal has been the highlight, while beating Manchester City away from home, combined with 5-0 victories over Crystal Palace and Coventry City, shows their prowess.

Also, Fabian Hurzeler’s side have scored more goals than any other side in the Premier League. They aren’t reliant on one player to find the net either, with the likes of Pascal Gross contributing alongside Charalampos Kostoulas, Georginio Rutter and Diego Gomez among others.

Brighton’s squad depth is a major concern. The question on everyone’s mind is whether they can sustain what they have done in the first 10 games over the next 28 fixtures.

But the Seagulls have achieved what they have done with the likes of Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh, Jack Hinshelwood, Georginio Rutter and Mats Wieffer missing multiple games already this season. They will be stronger when everyone is fit and available.

That being said, Arsenal are the better side, have stronger depth and know what it takes to win, which is why they remain the favourites to retain their Premier League title.

But if the Gunners drop their guard at any point, the Leicester nightmare could repeat itself.