Brighton alone back the Premier League's Bermuda Triangle meme — SkimNews

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- Brighton have taken 42 points from 26 games (1.62 ppg) against the traditional Big Six since 2024-25 — the best record of any non-Big-Six side and the engine of the 'Bermuda Triangle' meme.
- Bournemouth collected 35 points from 26 matches (1.35 ppg) against Big Six opposition since 2024-25, providing the theory's solid secondary pillar.
- Brentford trail the other two 'triangle' clubs at 22 points from 26 games (0.85 ppg), behind Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa against elite opposition.
- Fabian Hurzeler's Brighton record ranks second only to Kenny Dalglish's Blackburn among non-Big-Six managers with at least 10 matches against the traditional top six.
- Brentford opened this season with a 3-0 win over Tottenham and then beat Chelsea 3-0 the same weekend Brighton outclassed Arsenal by the same score — the kind of upset results that burn into supporter memory and keep the meme alive.
- The 'Bermuda Triangle' narrative exploits a perception bias: well-run, lower-spending clubs pulling off shock wins against bigger opponents linger longer in memory than routine Big Six victories, the source argues.
Why it matters: The data reframes how the Big Six should scout and plan for mid-table opposition: Brighton — not Brentford or even Bournemouth — are the non-elite club whose 1.62 points-per-game record against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham approaches elite-level performance. For those six clubs, Brighton merit a tier-one threat assessment, while Brentford's reputation as a Big Six-killer runs more on memorable results than sustained numbers.
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