Arsenal Edge Past Brighton To Reclaim Premier League Top Spot
Arsenal clawed their way back to the summit of the English Premier League table with a tense 2-1 victory over Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The win sees Mikel Arteta’s side move two points clear of Manchester City as they head into their final fixture of the calendar year.
The Gunners opened the scoring after just 14 minutes when Captain Martin Ødegaard netted his first goal of the season. Their lead was doubled seven minutes into the second half when Brighton’s Georginio Rutter inadvertently headed Declan Rice’s corner into his own net.
However, Brighton pulled one back shortly after the hour mark through Diego Gómez, setting up a nervy finish. David Raya then produced a crucial diving save to deny Yankuba Minteh with 15 minutes remaining, a stop that could prove pivotal in Arsenal’s quest for a first league title in two decades.
The victory means Arsenal will end the year ahead of City, with a home clash against third-placed Aston Villa on Tuesday. Brighton, meanwhile, have now taken just two points from a possible 15 and have slipped to 12th.
Arteta’s defensive woes deepened before kick-off, with Riccardo Calafiori sustaining an injury in the warm-up. With Jurriën Timber, Ben White, and Cristhian Mosquera already sidelined, Declan Rice admirably filled in at right-back. On a positive note, Gabriel, out since November 8th, made a welcome return as a second-half substitute.
Despite the pressure following City’s earlier victory, Arsenal started brightly. However, they were wasteful in front of goal before Ødegaard’s composed finish from Bukayo Saka’s assist. Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was busy throughout, making several key saves, including a notable challenge on Viktor Gyökeres on the stroke of half-time.
The second half saw Arsenal capitalise on a corner for their second goal, an unmarked Rutter heading past Verbruggen. However, Brighton refused to lie down, and Gómez’s rebound goal after Yasin Ayari’s shot hit the post injected renewed tension into the match. Raya’s heroics then kept Arsenal in front, as the home crowd endured a period of anxiety.
Arsenal, who have developed a habit of conceding late goals, saw substitute Gabriel Martinelli miss a golden opportunity to seal the win with five minutes remaining. Nevertheless, Arteta’s side held firm to secure three vital points and maintain their advantage over Pep Guardiola’s in-form City.
