Wins over Manchester United and Arsenal in the span of a week have shown a side capable of taking the Conference League by storm.
| Market | Selection | Odds |
| Conference League winner | Brighton | +250 |
Brighton’s impressive start raises expectations
After five games of the Premier League season, Brighton enter the international break in third place. The Seagulls had an incredible week, starting with a 5-0 drubbing of Coventry City away from home. Fabian Hurzeler then took his troops to Old Trafford for an EFL Cup date with Manchester United.
After going down 2-0 inside the first 10 minutes, Brighton fought back to claim a 3-2 victory, knocking out the home side. To crown what was a spectacular week for the coastal club, Brighton beat Arsenal 3-0. They not only beat the English champions, but they completely dominated the game. The betting question is whether that run makes Brighton worth backing in the Conference League winner market.The week of dreams
The Seagulls' win over Arsenal shows this is not just an early-season streak. The Gunners are the Premier League champions and boasted the best defensive record in the division last season. Yet, Brighton put three goals past them.
The result was deserved. Hurzeler’s side took 17 shots to Arsenal’s 11 and five on target to the opposition’s two, despite having 40% ball possession.Brighton showed great intensity and disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm without compromising their defensive balance. That is exactly the sort of profile that can travel well in Europe. The level of physical intensity is much higher in the Premier League compared to some Conference League opposition.
Brighton recorded an xG (expected goals) of 2.14 in their EFL Cup victory over Manchester United, compared with 1.20 for the hosts. They also registered 18 shots, while United managed 12. That was another performance with enough attacking weight to justify the result.
England’s best attack in Europe
After five matches, Brighton are the Premier League’s top scorers with 16 goals. Their underlying data matches up. They have the best xG in the division with 11.49, the second-most shots taken at 95, and the most shots on target at 29.
Fabian Hurzeler has done a fantastic job with Brighton’s pressing. The Seagulls have won 56 turnovers this season, eight more than any other Premier League team. This created so many attacking situations against Arsenal.The high-pressure approach is useful, but Brighton have shown different ways of playing. They put together 85 sequences of 10 or more passes in the Premier League this season, second only to Manchester City’s 118. Additionally, Brighton attempted 87 crosses in their five matches, beaten only by Man United’s 104. Before the two out-of-possession wins against Manchester United and Arsenal, Brighton dominated the ball and their opponents in a 5-0 win over Coventry City. Brighton are England’s sole representative in the 2026/27 Conference League, a competition that’s been dominated by Premier League sides in the past. English clubs have won three of the last five editions of the Conference League. West Ham, Chelsea, and Crystal Palace have all lifted the trophy. In the other two editions, Aston Villa and Leicester City were eliminated in the semi-finals by the eventual winners.The financial gap between the Premier League and the rest of Europe has been clear in this competition over the last five years. It’s been shown on the pitch, and now in the betting odds, which have Brighton as clear favourites.
The technical, tactical and physical superiority of the Premier League makes any side a natural favourite to win the Conference League. Brighton’s early-season form suggests they carry more value than most.