Charalampos Kostoulas is the best young player in the Premier League

It just so happened they won with the fourth youngest starting XI in the 2026/27 top-flight match. With an average age of just 25, the youthful Seagulls stifled the Gunners.

Pascal Gross put Brighton ahead on the half-hour mark. Fabian Hurzeler's side went in at the break two goals to the good as Charalampos Kostoulas, provider of the first goal, turned scorer.

Chema Andres completed a fine day at the office for Hurzeler and his men. Yes, Hurzeler has forged a functional team, expertly blending both youth and experience.

The combination sit third in England's top tier after the opening seven matches, having claimed five wins. Gross and captain Lewis Dunk are the seasoned heads in key positions.

Hurzeler has deployed a number of young stars in support of the mid-30s pair. And leading the charge is Kostoulas.

The Greek teenager joined from Olympiacos last summer, but had to settle for a spot on the bench in his debut campaign at the Amex Stadium. That shouldn't come as a surprise.

A 19-year-old in their first season abroad, they need a chance to adjust to a change in scenery. Playing second fiddle to Danny Welbeck, it wasn't a shock that Kostoulas was restricted to just two league starts.

Even so, he made a further 19 appearances off the bench. In that time, he struck twice and provided one assist.

One of those goals was a stunning 90th-minute overhead kick in a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth back in January. Yet the confidence to attempt such an effort when the pressure was on perhaps convinced Hurzeler that it was time to shift Welbeck on.